Dont Look Now - Opening Sequence Analysis

DON'T LOOK NOW - OPENING SCENE ANALYSIS 

This opening scene, directed by Nicholas Roeg, creates a very mysterious and creepy atmosphere. By using mise en scene, editing, sound and camera Nicholas Roeg creates meaning which generates this disturbing atmosphere. The audience picks up hints from small details which add to their bigger understand of the piece. 

EDITING: 

Editing is used very effectively in this opening scene. There are some examples of match cuts which are used to showcase the link between the father and the children and that he has some connection with the children that his wife lacks. 

1.  The father throws the cigarettes to his wife, and then it cuts to the daughter throwing up her ball, and then it cuts back to the wife catching the cigarettes. This creates a link between what is happening outside to what is happening inside. 

2. Just after this, the girl drops the ball in the water, and it cuts to the glass spilling water over the slide. This shows that the daughter and father are linked, but also links the water of the pond to the water in the glass. This suggests that maybe the girl will be in the water soon, just like the slide is.

3. When the boy runs his bicycle over glass, it cuts to the father looking up. This implies that he senses what has just happened, which again hints at a special link between the father and the children. 

4. The wife throws the slide down just as the father submerges himself under the pond in search of his daughter. This shows the link between the slide and the father and that it also involves his daughter.

Additionally, at the beginning of the scene the establishing shot of rain is held for a long time. This leads the audience to question the significance of this bit of water, and makes them wonder if it will be important later on. After this, it cuts to a vague scene which may be of a window with light shinning through and then cuts to a new establishing shot of the daughter. These cuts confuse the audience as it drags them through three possible time periods. These cuts begin to create the mysterious atmosphere. 

Furthermore, other cuts help to build up the creepy atmosphere. For example, the cut from the red ink spilling on the side to the daughter half submerged in the water forms the idea that the girl in the church and the daughter are linked. This generates an obscure mood as the audience question that link and wonder how the father knew about it.



As well as this, the use of slow motion when the father brings his dead daughter out of the pond builds suspense and tension while also showing his grief. The cut from him cradling his daughter to the ink spill which is in the same shape as how he is holding his daughter again indicates a link between the two. Moreover, the shot duration on the close up of the book "Beyond the Geometry of Space" hints to the audience that this is important and makes them question what is beyond space; death?

CAMERA:

Camera is used effectively here to showcase the difference from inside the house to outside. The first establishing shot of the pouring rain is vague and leaves the audience with questions. However the second establishing shot introduces a character. The shots of the girl and boy suggests that they are brother and sister and the fact that they are in a wide shot shows how open the area they are playing in. This conveys to the audience that they live in a rural place with no near neighbours, this automatically hints to the audience that they are isolated with no easy help. 

The mid shot of the girl indicates to the audience how young she is and that she is quite vulnerable. Also the close up of her toy, suggests to the audience that she is different from other young girls because it is quite a unnerving looking toy that would be more suited to boys. The close up shot of the ball in the water signifies the depth of the water, and hints to the audience that girl will be reaching for the ball in that deep water. The wide shot of the girl bending over into the water with the house in the background shows the audience the distance between the girl and the house. This implies that if she needed help it would take a while for someone to come. The panning in from this shot to focus on the girl bending into the water and her reflection hints that the girl will be soon in the water, as her reflection already is. 



The establishing shot of the sitting room, conveys to the audience that there is a tension between the mother and father as she has her back to him, and the depth of field shows that they are as far apart as they can be. The mid shot of the projector allows the audience to see that the girl in the church changes position in-between slides. This adds to the mysterious atmosphere as the audience questions why the girl would move and then move back. The close up of the father looking at his wife shows his distress, as it allows the audience to witness the full extent of his emotions. It hints to the audience that he does not know what is going on between them. 

The shot of the daughter running along the side of the pond, but only showing her reflection is very clever as it suggests to the audience that at some point she will be in the water. The entire movement of this shot follows her reflection so fully gets the point across to the audience. The long shot that shows a close up of the boy but then the girl in the background implies to the audience that he is far away from her. The shot becomes unfocused on the boys face and highlights the girl, showing that she is the centre part of what is going on. 




The wide shot showcasing the father running towards his daughter, the son, the ball and the house gives the audience perspective that should have been from the daughters eyes, but instead she is under the water. The close up of the young boy shows his fear and conveys that he cared for his sister a lot. 

The high angle shot used when he brings up his daughter showcases that he is being looked down on, while also giving the audience the clear idea that he is dragging his daughter up from the bottom of the pond. The director breaks the 30 degree rule here however it works, as it highlights the grief and horror the father is feeling.


SOUND:

Both diegetic and non diegetic sounds are used in this piece to provide meaning for the audience. 

The diegetic sounds of the footsteps of the girl and the wheels on the boys bike are heard. Also the sound of birds singing are heard in the first few shots. This creates a happy relaxed atmosphere. The non-diegetic piano music which is played also creates a relatively calm peaceful atmosphere, even if it sounds rather melancholy as well. The harshness of the girl's toys voice breaks this slightly, but does not disturb the atmosphere completely. However, when the girl is leaning over the water the diegetic sound of a crow is heard. This could suggest a bad omen and that something nasty is about to happen, as crows have the symbol attached to them that they bring bad fortune. 

The non diegetic sound of the piano stops when the audience are brought inside the house. This implies that things are not peaceful inside at all. The harsh click sound of the changing of slide on the projector cut through the silence and add tension to the scene. A few chromatic notes are played (non-diegetic) and they hint to the audience that something is not natural here. The smattering sound of the glass again cuts the silence and shocks the audience. The diegetic sound of the girls doll signifies the audience where she is, so they can pin point her whereabouts in relation to her brother. 

The deep bass notes that are heard (non-diegetic) imply a sense of doom and death which hint to the reader that some dark has happened here and that the daughter has died. The drawn out sound of the fathers cry really impresses upon the audience his horror, and the low notes behind his voice really add to this. The music gets louder and deeper, signifying that something truly dreadful has happened and that she is dead. The high notes heard as she is lifted out of the water, may represent her soul leaving her body as she dies. 

MISE EN SCENE:

The use of costume, props and setting all add to the atmosphere of this opening scene. 

The rural background implies isolation from other people, which generates the idea that the family are quite self dependant and in closed. The house is relatively large with a cosy setting which implies that they have a decent amount of wealth and are comfortable. The white horse shown at the beginning again reiterates the fact that they live in the country but also the colour white has connotations with peacefulness and purity. This gives the audience a false impression as the events that are about to unfold are not peaceful or pure. 

The use of the bright red outfit that the daughter wears really draws the audience in. The colour red has many connotations, but is specifically linked to blood and violence. This already leads the audience to believe that something bad is going to happen to her, and the bright red contrasts heavily with natural surroundings. It also contrasts with the costumes of the other actors who are all dressed in muted colours, which again hints to the audience that the girl should be their main focus. The colour red is also used a lot in other areas which may imply that blood and violence are going to be key features in this film. The brightness of the fire, and the clearness of the red ink spilling all adds to the idea that death is a big part of this scene and is linked to the little girl. 

The use of the toy and the bike show the children's age and that they like to go outside and play with things. The fact that the boy can ride a bike by himself may imply that he is the older of two. 

Connotation and Denotation

CONNOTATION: 

 

Definition: the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its primary meaning. 

By using a name or label in which our audience has used or seen before, we create not only the meaning we intended but also allow the audience to remember where they had encountered this word or label before by diving into their own personal memories. 

Connotations depend on the person who is viewing the image/ object. 

For example, an ordinary person who sees the image of this knife will probably think of cooking and chopping ingredients, as this is a knifes primary function. However, a person who has seen someone being stabbed may associate this image with ideas of violence and cruelty. 

Producers spend a lot of time and money ensuring that the audience make the right connotations. If the audience make the connotations the producer wants, this is called preferred reading but if the audience does not make the intended connotations, then this is oppositional reading. 

DENOTATION: 

Definition: The direct meaning of a word or expression and the set of associations that most people make instead of everyone's personal associations.

In using a name or label that the audience knows and is familiar with, it is easier to create meaning for the audience. However, by putting some objects and names in a certain context, a secondary meaning can be created. 

Again using the image of the knife, in a children's film the knife will stick to its primary meaning of being able to chop cooking ingredients. However, in the context of a horror film the knife immediately has the secondary meaning of a weapon. 

EXAMPLES:

Many words have positive and negative connotations. 

For example, a gun can represent safety and protection which is positive but is can also be associated with danger, violence and death which is negative. 

Also, take something as common as a red apple. It has many positive connotations such as it being healthy and tasty. But any child who has seen Snow White will see a red apple and think of the poisoned apple that killed Snow White, which is a negative connotation. 

Producers have to be careful to evoke their intended meaning as while they may see an object and think of something, another person may think of something entirely different. This is key in Thriller films as suspense has to be maintained, so the audience needs to be able to pick up subtle hints through the connotations of images and objects used. For example, in Black Swan the main character is shown to be attracted to mirrors and glass. The connotations of glass and mirrors vary, as it can be seen as beautiful but is also sharp thus could be deadly. Therefore, both these connotations are put into the audiences mind so that in the end when she stabs herself with a piece of glass it is not unrealistic. 

Thriller sub-genres

Thriller Sub-Genres

There are many different sub-genres of thrillers: 

CONSPIRACY THRILLERS: 

The general idea for a conspiracy thriller involves the protagonist finding something that unravels a vast conspiracy. Often the protagonist has difficulty exposing the conspiracy as little believe them and rumours, lies and propaganda work against them. However, a general theme in conspiracy thrillers is that the 'bad' people cause the tragic events and the 'good' people fight against them and defeat them. 

Example:

The Da Vinci Code - directed by Rod Howard

A murder inside the Louvre and clues in Da Vinci paintings lead to the discovery of a religious mystery which has been preserved by a secret society for two thousand years and when discovered could shake the foundations of Christianity.

POLITICAL THRILLERS: 

A political thriller is set against the backdrop of a political struggle, that often contains themes of government corruption, warfare and terrorism. Normally, the political power in control have ulterior motives and often try to gain control of everything in a total fascist regime. A political thriller can be based on true events or be fiction. 

Example: 

Mississippi Burning - directed by Alan Parker

Two FBI agents, with completely different styles arrive in Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of three civil right activists. The film explores the racism that dominated the south of America during the 20th century, and the plea for the government to do something to help the Black community. 

SPY THRILLERS: 

Spy thrillers explores the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way or as the basis of fantasy. The main ideal is that a government agent has to discover the secrets of their enemies without being caught.  The spy film combines the genres of action and thriller. 

Example: 

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - directed Tomas Alfredson

In the dangerous days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from his semi retirement in order to uncover a Soviet agent working within M16. 

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER:

This is a very broad sub-genre of thrillers. Its focus is on the emotional and mental and instability of the characters with a mysterious element as well. Suspense in psychological thrillers is often created when two characters play on each others minds, usually by the way of deceptive games or trying to cripple the others mental state. Psychological thrillers often combine with horror genre as some of the elements within them are similar. For example, often the characters lives end in a gruesome way rather than justice being served. 

Example:

Black Swan - directed by Darren Aronofsky

A ballet dancer wins the role of a lifetime in the show "Swan Lake", and is perfect for the role of the delicate white swan. However, she progressively begins to lose her mind as the show beings to take its toll on her mental health and she becomes more and more like the black swan. 

TECHNO THRILLERS: 

A techno-thriller is hard to define as it blurs with many other genres. Often it combines with science fiction so that the main theme is on plausible near-future technology and how this effects the world. Also world wars are a common topic with focuses being on military and political actions, so combines with conspiracy and political thrillers. 

Example:

Minority Report - directed by Steven Spielberg 

This film is set in the future where a special unit of the police force are able to see crimes that are about to happen, thus arrest people before they commit their crimes. An officer from that unit then sees himself committing a murder in the future.

SUPERNATURAL THRILLERS: 

A supernatural thriller brings ideas of otherworldly elements into the plot as well as building suspense and tension. Supernatural thrillers can focus on ghosts, the occult and sometimes the main character has the ability to talk or see the dead. These films deal less with action, but instead focus on building tension with a series of plot twists. 

Example: 

The Sixth Sense - directed by M. Night Shyamalan 

A boy who has the ability to see and talk to dead people seeks the help of a disheartened child psychologist who does not really that he is in fact dead himself. 

What is a Thriller?

What is a Thriller?

Thriller is a type of film GENRE.

Genre is a class or category of artistic endeavour that has a particular form, content or technique.  

Genre allows an audience to know what type of film they will be seeing. For example, if the genre is comedy the audience will expect the film to make them laugh. Therefore the genre allows an audience to have some knowledge of the main ideas of the film before they see it, as all films in the same genre have similar themes. Knowing the genre of a film and marketing it as that genre is important to film institutions. For instance, a film production will not market a horror film to a young audience, as they know that the genre is not suitable for young children. Consequently, film institutions market their film based on its genre, as they can more easily appeal to different segments of the market. 

Although thriller is a genre in itself, there are many different types of thrillers. This is different from most other genres, because many thrillers look entirely different from each other. This contrasts with the Western genre for example, as the majority of Western films are very similar to each other. However, if you compare two thrillers you will find that they are very different. 

For example, Shutter Island directed by Martin Scorsese is very different to Limitless directed by Neil Burger. 

Shutter Island is physiological thriller about the U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels who is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding nearby. The film leaves the audience in suspense, with the question of whether Teddy Daniels is actually insane, or if he has been turned insane. The film builds suspense throughout, and shocks the audience with the use of flashbacks and music.



On the other hand, Limitless is techno-thriller about a mysterious pill that enables the user to access 100 percent of his brain abilities. A struggling writer obtains the pill and becomes a financial wizard, but it also puts him in a new world with lots of dangers. In the end the writer ends up at the top, after beating all his enemies, but the question is raised at the end whether he is actually off the drug or whether it is just a front. 










However, although the plots of these films are entirely different as well as the use of camera in them, on a basic level they are similar. As a thriller, they both create suspense as well as an exciting,unsettling and intense atmosphere. 

A thriller is designed to keep the audience on the 'edge of their seats'. Usually tension arises, when the the main character of the film faces a mysterious or threatening situation. The menace is often unclear, adding to the suspense of the film as the audience are unsure of who to trust. A thriller often concludes with the main character winning and justice being served, but with a slight source of doubt on whether this is really the end.

Therefore, both the thrillers above follow this general idea of the thriller genre. So even though they seem entirely opposite they are bonded together by the basis of the word thriller. Even though the source of "thrill" is different in both films, both films create an intense atmosphere and suspense.

THRILLER: FIRST GROUP MEETING

THRILLER: FIRST GROUP MEETING

We settled on our groups, so began to go over our ideas for our opening sequence. 

After going through all our possible ideas, our group became stuck on two ideas. 

IDEA 1: (which is mine)

The opening sequence would involve numerous close up shots of a girl preparing to hang herself, including a diary which shows that she has attempted suicide many times before. The end would be a wide shot, to finally show a whole frame of the girl, and would be of her actually hanging. 

IDEA 2:

A man is washing his hands thoroughly in a bathroom to wash off metaphorical blood. He is politician/business man, and he then walks down a corridor, receives papers from his secretary which he signs, then continues down the corridor out of shot. The whole sequence would make the audience feel on edge, with the use of music, unfocused shots and disorienting shots from different angles. 

Our group became stuck on these two ideas for many reasons, as they both has positives and negatives.

IDEA 1:

PROS: 1.creates a more exciting sequence

      2.would be interesting to learn how to use a harness while         hanging someone in order to not actually hurt someone

      3.would allow for a wider variety of shots and use of               strange lighting

CONS: 1. gives slightly too much away for opening sequence

      2. issues with being achievable in one day

IDEA 2:

PROS: 1. more realistic for an opening sequence

      2. more achievable

      3. leaves room for detailed filming

CONS: 1. may be hard to convey a 'thrilling' aspect

      2. not very exciting for a opening sequence

Our group needs to choose one of these ideas in order to proceed with the planning process. We will weigh up each pro and con in order to make the best decision possible. 

Thriller Ideas

THRILLER IDEAS

IDEA 1 : 

whole film synopsis: 

A girl, around 16, is suffering from mental health issues. She is fixated upon the idea of how she can push the limit of near death experiences, without actually dying. The film would consist of numerous suicide attempts, and the audience would be kept in suspense over whether or not she would succeed in killing herself.

opening sequence:

The girl would be up a tree and the sequence would end just before she goes to jump off the tree. Low angle shots would emphasise the height of the tree, and extreme close ups would convey the nervous thrill of the girl. Also a shot of a notebook filled with her other near death experiences would be shown to give an idea of the plot. 

IDEA 2 : 

whole film synopsis:

A young innocent girl, around 13, befriends an older guy at her school. His friendship seems harmless at first, and she confides in him the issues of her home life, and he comforts her. However, he begins to lead her astray, into a world of drugs, violence and prostitution.  The girl becomes pregnant and falls into depression when she has to have an abortion. The film would be a series of flashbacks of her innocent life, her life with the boy and her current life in hospital (recovering from depression). 

opening sequence: 

To show her life before it all turned bad, the opening sequence would be of her in a fairground with her friends, but the end of the scene would see her walk off with the older boy. The main emphasis would be on light, and the colourful lighting during the fairground and the growing darkness as she walks away with the boy. 

IDEA 3: 

whole film synopsis: 

A family has just moved into an isolated rural village in which there is a mass murderer. The film focuses on how the family try to make friends with the village, and how the murderer is never known so everyone is suspicious of everyone. The film ends with the murderer killing the parents of the family, and then their daughter kills the murderer in a revenge attack. 

Opening sequence: 

The daughter has to walk home everyday through a corn field and the opening sequence would emphasise the isolation of their home. From filming from a low angle it would show that in the corn the girl was hard to see. By playing slow music and having the sounds of the grass rustling it would create a creepy atmosphere. 

IDEA 4:

whole film synopsis: 

The film is set in a convent, that follows a strict Religion. The convent is filled with a variety of people of all ages, and the film follows the highs and lows of living in a tight nit group of people, who all follow an extreme Religion. The main focus would be on the head of the convent discovering that two of the younger members are breaking the rule of abstinence, and the severe and twisted punishments the head installs upon them. 

Opening sequence: 

The opening sequence would show a boy entering the convent, through an initiation. The initiation would be to walk through a fire. The build up would be of lighting the fire, and music becoming louder and louder. Close up shots of the Convents logo would showcase that the boy was entering something different and peculiar. The screen would go dark before he steps into the flames but the thought of him stepping into it would be created.

Coursework definition

Video

Preliminary exercise: Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

Main task: the titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes.

All video and audio material must be original, produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source. Both preliminary and main tasks may be done individually or as a group. Maximum four members to a group.

Final Edit for Prelim Task

FINAL EDIT

We finally finished editing our piece and this is the finished result.



KILL BILL

KILL BILL - SOUND EDIT

Sound is key here in creating the atmosphere of this scene. 

In the first part of this scene, the  diegetic sound of the nails being hammered into the coffin is very effective. It is a steady repetitive sound that informs the audience that the men are really going to bury her alive. The sound is from Beatrix's point of view, so is louder then what it would normally be. This heightens the dramatic effect as the audience can sympathise with her the terrible sound of being sealed into a coffin, alive. There is a pause between each nail being driven in, which builds tension as the audience is waiting for the noise to begin again, and for her to become completely trapped. 

The non-diegetic sound of the Western music, is very melancholy and mournful, suggesting that her fate is sealed and that she won't live through this. The whistling is high and piercing and unsettles the reader as it contrasts from the low sound of the hammer hitting the nails.

The screen then goes black and all the audience can hear is Beatrix's breathing. This showcases Beatrix's fear as her breathing is out of control and punctuated by sobs. Following this, we hear scraping sounds, which implies that the coffin is being dragged. Even with the screen still black this message is passed across clearly by the sound. By not seeing the coffin being moved, only hearing it, it allows the audience to use their imagination, and picture for themselves the sight of the coffin being moved. A pause, and the sound of a man's groan and of rope being pulled through hands, implies that the men are now lowering the coffin into the ground. This meaning comes across easily, as the sound is very accurate and allows the audience to fully understand what is going on. All the while under this sound is Beatrix's breathing and crying, which makes the audience keep in mind that it is her whose in the coffin and that she is still very much alive. 

After the coffin has been lowered into the ground there is a pause. This creates so much tension, as the audience are waiting for the first sound of dirt to hit the coffin. Firstly, their is the sound of one pebble hitting the coffin and then a massive thump as a heap of dirt falls upon it. Again, the sound is from Beatrix's perspective so is very loud, which intensifies the situation. There is a pause between each shovel of dirt, and each time the sound of it hitting the coffin becomes quieter.  This implies that she is becoming fully submerged in the ground and can no longer hear the sounds above her. Also, her screams become more violent which shows her desperation and fear. 

Sound is used more in this scene than visuals to create meaning. Without actually seeing her being buried, the idea of it is clearly put across by only the use of sound. This produces a very unsettling atmosphere, and makes the audience feel part of the scene as they themselves have to use their imagination to visualise what is happening, therefore dragging them into the horrific scene. 

Editing Preliminary Task - Part Two

Editing Preliminary Task 

We carried on with editing our preliminary sequence until we had a finished film. 

We continued editing, by adding different shots. We cut to over the shoulder shots from over both characters shoulders and used extreme close ups to emphasise the characters emotions. We became better at cutting a shot during a movement, so our piece began to flow much more smoothly. 

However, we ran into a few difficulties during our editing process. Unfortunately, we realised that we had not filmed a shot to show the girl actor reaching for the projector button, only a shot of her stretching for the button. This mean't that when we came to editing the piece, we had to use a jump cut from the boy actor leaving to the girl stretching for the projector. This made the piece seem very ambiguous and disjointed, as the last shot didn't flow with the rest of the piece. We tried to include a second of black screen in between the boys exist and the shot of the girl, but this made the jump shot more apparent, so we left it how it was.

Due to this problem, we had to alter some of our other shots to make the last shot seem more fluid. We decided that if we zoomed in on the boy characters exit, and then cut back to the girl, it would imply that time had passed and the girl had already reached up above her. However, we didn't have a close up shot of the boys exit, so we had to do it on Final Cut Pro. This lead to the shot becoming unfocused and reduced the quality of the piece. 

Additionally, we had problem with sound as one of our shots had "cut" said before the end of the shot. This meant that we had to cut sound from another similar shot and added it to our chosen shot. This was complicated as we had to ensure the continuity of the sound, so we spent a while making sure it sounded correct within the piece. 

Moreover, we realised that we had made the boys exit very ambiguous as we had not filmed what he was clambering over. This would have been easily fixed by tilting the camera down a fraction, but we only realised the problem when we came to editing. We couldn't do anything about this, so we had to deal with the fact that the boys exit would have to be vague.

For all the problems we faced, I was quite happy with our final piece. It wasn't as good as I hoped, due to us missing some vital shots, but as our first go at filming and editing a piece I was really pleased.

I also learnt that next time we need to ensure that:

 1. Plan out all the shots we wanted to do

 2. Make sure we film movements, with editing shots together in mind

 3. Make sure there isn't empty space in a shot

 4. Wait until the shot has completely finished before saying "cut"

 5. Remember to re-focus the camera before each shot