The location is filmed in a block of flats with the opening shot being of the under-ground multi-story. This reinforces the generic convention often used in Thrillers of confined spaces. I was inspired to shoot the opening shot here because Jo would seem to be vulnerable from the start, with the dark monotone walls and low ceiling adding to the claustrophobic feel and the sense that someone is watching her. This connotes Carol Reed’s labyrinth in his representation of Vienna after the Second World War in ‘The Third Man’ with the dull, grey streets and constant feel of someone watching the main character.
I also used generic conventions in the shots of the corridor. They are very narrow which once again uses the idea of confined space and claustrophobia which was inspired by the corridors in ‘The Shining’. Although this is a horror film, it has thriller aspects conveyed by the use of camera work within these shots. Once again the corridors are also similar to the streets of Vienna in The Third Man with the way I edited the scene which cut from her walking to his feet. It, again, infers the idea that the corridors are a labyrinth adding to the suspense of the shot.
We also briefly used a lift for one shot, where she is travelling up to her floor. The audience also see a slow motion shot of his hand pressing the number to Jo’s floor which makes them wonder why he is going to her floor and how he knows which floor she lives on; using the idea of him being a stalker. Lifts are used because they use the convention of confined and claustrophobia spaces also adding to the fear of not being able to escape or being trapped. A lift is used in various thriller films including ‘Once Upon a Time in America’. The low angled shot looking up at the bottom of the old fashioned lift makes it seem menacing and like it has control over everyone inside it. A lift is also used in the final episode of ‘Ashes to Ashes’ and even goes as far as to use it to transport people down to the programme’s ‘hell’, once again showing the lift as being a place where people become trapped and have no escape.
The set for the main part of ‘Intruder’ was filmed in a flat. This was intended to use the fear of someone in your own home and scare the audience, reminding them of the recent Joanna Yates murder. This was mainly influenced by the Sixth Sense and Hitchcock’s 1960’s thriller; ‘Psycho’. In the Sixth Sense, Malcolm Crowe’s ex patient breaks into his home, shooting him for revenge because the man claimed Crowe didn’t give him sufficient help when his parents divorced- ‘giving up on him’. Although in my thriller, unlike in The Sixth Sense, there is no dialogue so that the reason for the Intruder being there is unknown which develops the idea of many thrillers as they often give away the reason for the crime early on, whereas the audience to my film are unsure and have to watch the rest of the film to find out. I also used the idea of Jo running a bath in her flat because she is very similar to Marion Crane, with her blonde hair and the way she is targeted in her own home and murdered. The audience will recognise this as soon as she runs the bath which will suggest to them that the man who has been following her will murder her with a knife, identical to Psycho.
I have used the name Jo for my victim because it is a shortened version of the name Joanna- the name of the woman who was recently murdered in Bristol. This reinforces the audience’s memory of this case and makes them relate Intruder to it, building up the tension amongst them. This uses the convention of a thriller because straight away, you know Jo is a victim, because of her association with Joanna Yates. Sarah- my actress for Jo is wearing an every-day dress, tights and boots, suggesting that she has been at work all day, in order to give the Intruder plenty of time to plan what he is going to do to her, and how. However, I have challenged generic costume of usual female victims by putting her in black. The purpose of this is to show her as being powerful and independent to suggest that she is in charge of a company or has a very high up job which will suggest to the audience the reason for him killing her- for money; much like Marion Crane.
I have used generically dark lighting for my shots of inside the flat. Thrillers use this dark lighting to add mystery as the audience cannot fully see what is going on. This adds tension as they are anticipating something to happen, for example in ‘Intruder’, they audience will be expecting something to happen when Jo is picking up the bracelet, this is then proven when the intruder walks through the doorframe holding a knife. However, in the shots beforehand, I have challenged generic lighting- for example when Jo is walking down the corridor, the scene is very bright. This still frightens the audience and causes tension amongst them because they see everything that happens, even if they do not want to. For instance, they see the Intruder following Jo, however if the scene was darker, they may not be able to work this out and see properly. Also, the use of very bright- however ambient- lighting, is to create a dream-like (or nightmare-like) state that my victim Jo is in; almost unrealistic.
I used a generic soundtrack to build tension in areas such as when the intruder is in the lift and when he opens her door. The soundtrack evokes the audience’s fear or something being there, or that something evil is about to happen. Similar soundtracks are used in the recent series of Silent Witness also being used to build tension.
Lastly, I used the idea from Heavenly Creatures of putting something (in the film a jewel, in ‘Intruder’ a sparkly bracelet) on the floor to attract the attention of the victim, placed there, in order to make them bend down and pick it up, therefore putting the victim in a vulnerable position and making them easier to kill. In ‘Intruder’, the camera takes a close-up of the attacker placing the bracelet on the floor, right by the television so she would be able to see it. He also walks away with it at the end, suggesting the killer collects trophies of the girls he has killed, for example, in the Crime Drama ‘Luther’, the murdered collects the girl’s necklace, and in ‘Thorne; Sleepyhead’ he collects her bracelet.
We also briefly used a lift for one shot, where she is travelling up to her floor. The audience also see a slow motion shot of his hand pressing the number to Jo’s floor which makes them wonder why he is going to her floor and how he knows which floor she lives on; using the idea of him being a stalker. Lifts are used because they use the convention of confined and claustrophobia spaces also adding to the fear of not being able to escape or being trapped. A lift is used in various thriller films including ‘Once Upon a Time in America’. The low angled shot looking up at the bottom of the old fashioned lift makes it seem menacing and like it has control over everyone inside it. A lift is also used in the final episode of ‘Ashes to Ashes’ and even goes as far as to use it to transport people down to the programme’s ‘hell’, once again showing the lift as being a place where people become trapped and have no escape.
The set for the main part of ‘Intruder’ was filmed in a flat. This was intended to use the fear of someone in your own home and scare the audience, reminding them of the recent Joanna Yates murder. This was mainly influenced by the Sixth Sense and Hitchcock’s 1960’s thriller; ‘Psycho’. In the Sixth Sense, Malcolm Crowe’s ex patient breaks into his home, shooting him for revenge because the man claimed Crowe didn’t give him sufficient help when his parents divorced- ‘giving up on him’. Although in my thriller, unlike in The Sixth Sense, there is no dialogue so that the reason for the Intruder being there is unknown which develops the idea of many thrillers as they often give away the reason for the crime early on, whereas the audience to my film are unsure and have to watch the rest of the film to find out. I also used the idea of Jo running a bath in her flat because she is very similar to Marion Crane, with her blonde hair and the way she is targeted in her own home and murdered. The audience will recognise this as soon as she runs the bath which will suggest to them that the man who has been following her will murder her with a knife, identical to Psycho.
I have used the name Jo for my victim because it is a shortened version of the name Joanna- the name of the woman who was recently murdered in Bristol. This reinforces the audience’s memory of this case and makes them relate Intruder to it, building up the tension amongst them. This uses the convention of a thriller because straight away, you know Jo is a victim, because of her association with Joanna Yates. Sarah- my actress for Jo is wearing an every-day dress, tights and boots, suggesting that she has been at work all day, in order to give the Intruder plenty of time to plan what he is going to do to her, and how. However, I have challenged generic costume of usual female victims by putting her in black. The purpose of this is to show her as being powerful and independent to suggest that she is in charge of a company or has a very high up job which will suggest to the audience the reason for him killing her- for money; much like Marion Crane.
I have used generically dark lighting for my shots of inside the flat. Thrillers use this dark lighting to add mystery as the audience cannot fully see what is going on. This adds tension as they are anticipating something to happen, for example in ‘Intruder’, they audience will be expecting something to happen when Jo is picking up the bracelet, this is then proven when the intruder walks through the doorframe holding a knife. However, in the shots beforehand, I have challenged generic lighting- for example when Jo is walking down the corridor, the scene is very bright. This still frightens the audience and causes tension amongst them because they see everything that happens, even if they do not want to. For instance, they see the Intruder following Jo, however if the scene was darker, they may not be able to work this out and see properly. Also, the use of very bright- however ambient- lighting, is to create a dream-like (or nightmare-like) state that my victim Jo is in; almost unrealistic.
I used a generic soundtrack to build tension in areas such as when the intruder is in the lift and when he opens her door. The soundtrack evokes the audience’s fear or something being there, or that something evil is about to happen. Similar soundtracks are used in the recent series of Silent Witness also being used to build tension.
Lastly, I used the idea from Heavenly Creatures of putting something (in the film a jewel, in ‘Intruder’ a sparkly bracelet) on the floor to attract the attention of the victim, placed there, in order to make them bend down and pick it up, therefore putting the victim in a vulnerable position and making them easier to kill. In ‘Intruder’, the camera takes a close-up of the attacker placing the bracelet on the floor, right by the television so she would be able to see it. He also walks away with it at the end, suggesting the killer collects trophies of the girls he has killed, for example, in the Crime Drama ‘Luther’, the murdered collects the girl’s necklace, and in ‘Thorne; Sleepyhead’ he collects her bracelet.
A thoughtful response reflecting your growing confidence with the concept of genre. You discuss the generic aspects of your film proficiently and satisfactorily support your points with references to similar texts.
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