Creating suspense - Alfred Hitchcock

Hi guys,

Have a watch of this clip. Alfred Hitchcock is named the 'master of suspense'. Check out his tips and ideas for how he created suspense in his movies.

Week 6 - Monday Classwork - A's and I'd Case Studies

Case Study requirements;

 - a NZ film (What we did in the Shadows) 

- a Hollywood Blockbuster (your choice)

(some good ideas are Black Panther or any Marvel Avenger movie,

- an Indi-film (one not made/ funded by a big Hollywood production studio)

- A film that didn't do well (The Interview)

You need to know EVERYTHING about these films. 

- date of release 

- what their budget was

- what they made on opening weekend

- what gross earnings were for the film

- who directed it

- any A-list cast / actors?

- controversy or context around it - if any?

- who distributed the film? 

- who funded the film (Indi - if so? How did they fund it? - crowd-funding etc)

- what did critics say about it? reviews and how it was received by the public

- how was it distributed? (DVD / streaming platform etc)?

- Marketing campaigns - what was marketing budget / what ways was it marketed? 

Over the Shoulder 180 degree rule

Ideas and Inspo for Foundation Portfolio

 

Watch the first few minutes of this film - the continuous shot is impressive and the lack of transitions really helps build suspense! (Disclaimer! I have only watched the 1st few mins of this, not sure if the rest of it is appropriate)

Week 4 - Classwork for Monday: Foundation Portfolio Planning

   Foundation Portfolio Brief

• Create an opening scene for any Thriller sub-genre of your choice.  The opening sequence needs to set up a Thriller movie, introducing key characters and hinting at the story line ahead, setting up the plot that will unfold. It needs to have the following technical requirements;

1. It needs to follow the 180' Rule
2. Include shot-reverse-shot
3. Match on Action
4. Logo conceptualised and created by one of your group members
5. At least 2 Special FX from After Effects 
6. 2 - 2.5 mins long
7. Credits and title of the movie

Remember to think carefully about your sub-genre and try your hand at something new.

Have fun and remember to think smart, write down all your planning and log ALL changes, problems encountered and things learnt along the way for your CCR.

Planning Outline - DUE Thurs week 4

Here is your checklist to work through. Some things you should ALL do, e.g. concept treatment & storyboard)  some things only you will be responsible for (e.g. storyboard/ script)

Pre-Production

1. Brainstorm (all include a version of this, show record of ideas developing into final idea)

2. Concept – HERE is the link for the template of how to do this
3.   Treatment - see link HERE for template for how to do this

4.  Storyboard (you can either print the template off our class blog, left side under ‘film templates’ or if you don’t have a printer, draw up your own template to use).
5.    Script & Talent

6. Shot List

7.     Location / Setting (do some research, find photos of the look you are after and places that could work for setting. Find some movies with setting / location that you want to replicate)

8.     Props & costumes (again, find examples of EVERY prop and costume you want to use. What other movies have they used them in? What look and feel are you going for? What colours are going to be symbolic? What props are going to be used in iconography? Include lots of photos/ screenshots of movies and write about the ‘why’ you would make this creative choice).

9. Film Schedules

10. Call Sheets

      PRODUCTION

11.     Lighting (you need a lighting plan. Show you have done some research to find lighting styles you like and want to replicate. Explain how you will get your desired effect).
10.     Camera (in this you include shot types and camera movement you want to explore and try out. Maybe it’s things like  dolly shot where you want the camera moving or a high establishing shot? Get examples of what you want to try replicate and look up/ plan creative ways to get this. For a dolly shot you can put your camera on a wheelie chair, a tracking shot can be on a skateboard etc. Get creative! Are you going to use lots of close-up’s? Are you going to use lots of obstruction of vision in what you include in your shot? Whose point of view is the story told from?
9.     Sound – who is going to do this on the day? Then you all need to start researching sound. What do you plan on including in your sound? Hat soundtracks have you found? What sound effects? What movies or short films achieve what you want to achieve in sound and how will you use them as inspiration?

      10. Director / time keeper

 

      POST-PRODUCTION

11.     Editing – look up some cool editing techniques like how to do a chase scene, how to do flashbacks, how to do fast paced edits, how to create a disorientated feel via editing. Do some research and have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with editing in this short film opening

12. Logo - design, placement/ animation (track all stages of designs, revision drafts, issues, decisions and finished product as well as treatment explanation for the above).

Week 2 Homework - CCR Q 1 + 2

    Hi guys

Remember 

• PRESENTATION is important (check you have pictures/ photos / colours and that the writing and placement of graphics or backgrounds isn't distracting)
• BLOG TOOLS - each question needs a DIFFERENT blog tool EMBEDDED into blog

Question 1
How does your product USE or CHALLENGE conventions? How does it represent social groups / issues?

(Think sound, lighting, narrative structure, editing, camera work, symbolism and iconography)
 - make a list of conventions used, are they conforming to the norm or challenging the normal thriller conventions?
- This needs to be at least 5 slides with DETAILS and showing links to clips/ movies you used as inspiration. Do NOT just list things, EXPLAIN them, show photos of what you wanted to achieve as a convention and what you did achieve

Question 2
How does your product engage with audiences? How would you distribute it as a real media text?
(What effect does it have on audiences? What emotions do you evoke in audience members?)
- Think about and comment on the following;
- Who is your target audience (use demographics research we did in class - GEN Z/ i-gen content.
- Why would this appeal to this audience range?
- How are you going to distribute this product BASED ON what you know about your target audience? (Do they go to the cinema? What sort of marketing would you use? What examples of viral marketing would you try and copy? What platforms would you make this available on and how?)
 - characters (what characters did you choose to use? Can audiences identify with any of them? Are they scary /  mysterious? Is there a vulnerable character that the audience sympathises with?
- narrative - what sort of story line does your film have? Think about narrative structure - are there certain aspects of the story that are revealed at the end? Is there enigma in your story? Is there a cliffhanger?
- point of view - is your film made from a certain point of view?
- How does the thriller genre in general 'hook' or engage audiences? (do a bit of research)
- What editing/ music choices have you used to build suspense and engage audiences?