Sound

Sound is used in Media when creating effects and helping get the message across to the audience. Sound is very important in portraying images and add to the emotion in the scene. Eg. Fast paced background music during a thriller scene to increase tension felt by reader.

Diegetic:

Sound that other characters would be able to hear. A song on a radio, for instance, as a character drives down the highway, would be a diegetic sound.

Non-Diegtic:

Any voice, musical passage or sound effect that comes from outside the world of the movies; like background music, for instance. If the characters can't hear the sound, it's non-diegetic.

Ambient:

Sounds natural to any film scene's environment.

Synchronous:Audio matched to images. When the mouth moves, the words come out in sync.

Sound Effects:
Special effects using sound to suggest a story element such as background, time, place, character, etc. Also used to heighten and intensify action or evoke an emotional response.
Music:
An artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner.

Selective Sound:
The removal of some sounds and the retention of others to make significant sounds more recognizable, or for dramatic effect: to create atmosphere, meaning and emotional nuance.

Sound Bridges:
The use of sound to help transistions between the sequences pass more fluid.

Match On Action

Match On Action


Match on action is where a cut in film editing between two different objects, spaces or compostitions in which an object in the two shots link together and match so the film scene flows and doesnt look out of place. This helps to establish a strong continuity of action and linking the two shots metaphorically.






This video is an example of match on action and shows the women throwing the board game across the table. To begin with the camera shows the two girls sitting at the table but when the board is thrown across the table out of sight the camera suddenly switches angle so the camera is focusing on the girl who threw the board. This way you can see the girls angry expressions as soon as she's thrown the board, which makes the audience see how she is reacting.

Shot Reverse Shot

Shot reverse shot is a film technique where one character is shown looking at another character and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer assumes that they are looking at each other.

The effect of using this technique in any film would be to establish the reactions of the people who were being filmed. By using this technique the film maker is ensuring that the audience sees the conversation in a particular way.

I filmed a short conversation involving two friends to put 'Shot Reverse Shot' into practise. The first shot shows an angle from which the conversation is being recorded to which it then switches around 180 degrees to other side. It then finishes with the original first angle filmed at. This makes the audience understand the reactions of the two characters and makes the conversation flow.

The 180° Degree Rule

The 180° Degree Rule:
The 180° degree rule is a guideline that film makers follow and it states that two characters in the same scene should ALWAYS have the same left/right relationship to one another. If the camera passes over an imaginary line connecting the two actors/actresses then this is called crossing the line. The new shit from the opposite side is called the reverse angle.

                   

This picture shows the imaginary axis between the two subjects and the 180° green arc on which the cameras may be placed. When cutting from the green arc to the red arc, the characters switch places on the screen. 

This video shows the rule in more depth and visually how the rule can be put into place. She describes the rule in an example of a football match, as the camera will never switch sides because this will confuse the viewers as they wont know which way their team are attacking or defending.

 








 

Sub Thriller Genres
Action Thriller
Action Thrillers will feature themes of suspense, conspires, plot which involves fights, chases, mystery and revenge.
Eg.

• North by Northwest (1958)
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
• Die Hard (1988)
• The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

  

  Die Hard

  
  

Political Thriller
Political Thrillers will involve plots around conspires. There will be a hero/heroine that fights for the government who will employ them. The films will contain power and some parts having suspense.
Eg.

• The Hunt for Red October (1990)
• Munich (2005)
• Enemy of the State (1998)
• JFK (1991)
• Shooter (2007)

JFK

Crime Thriller
The Sub Genre of a Crime Thriller is a hybrid of both crime, thrillers and sometimes action. It supplies a plot which is a suspenseful account of a successful or unsuccessful crime. The film will concentrate on the criminals point of view so audience can follow crime and become engaged. They often contain some psychological aspects.
Eg.

• The Departed (2006)
• Reservoir Dogs (1992)
• Memento (2001)
• No Country for Old Men (2007)
• Sin City (2005)

The Departed

Psychological Thriller
The typical plot of this sub genre is the conflict between the two main characters is based on a mental and emotional basis rather than  physical conflict. Usually concluded with a violent resolution as there is some psychological aspects leading up to the end.
Eg.

• The Talented Mr Ripley (1999)
• Fatal Attraction (1987)
• American Psycho (2000)
• The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
• Taxi Driver (1976)

The Talented Mr Rippley

Thriller Genre

What Is A Thriller?


A Thriller genre is of film that will contain main phases of suspense, tension and excitement. Primary Sub genres of thriller are: mystery, crime and psychological thrillers. After the assassination of U.S.A President John F. Kennedy political and paranoid thrillers were introduced and became very popular.
The Thriller genre atmosphere mainly consists of menace, violent, crime and murder. They also focus on including plot twists, cliff hangers and red herrings. The most famous thriller scene is in Psycho, the murder shower scene. The suspense and mystery when the women's shadow appears behind creates the eerie and tense atmosphere which helps the scene be so famous.









The Thriller genre contains common typical characters such as: Criminals, Stalkers, Assassins, Innocent Victims, Terrorists, Police or any character with a dark mysterious past. All these characters are symbolic of thriller films adding to the atmosphere and creating a dark mysterious
 thriller. Common themes involve: Terrorism, Politics, Conspiracy, Pursuit Romantic triangles. These themes are constantly used throughout thrillers to add suspense and a real thriller plot to the film, which helps involve the audience.

Thriller Directors...

    Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg

Steven Allan Spielberg was born on December 18th 1947, and is a very famous American film director, producer and screenwriter. His careerer has spanned over 40 years, with Steven making films covering many themes such as science fiction, adventure, war, terrorism and thriller. Up to 2010 the gross total of all of Spielberg's directed films is over $8.5 billion and his wealth totalling $3 billion.

Awards:

• 3 Academy Awards 
• Best Director 1999 (Saving Private Ryan)
• Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
• Gold Hugo Life Achievement Award
• Legion d'honneur

Films:

• Saving Private Ryan
• Jaws 
• Indiana Jones
• Catch Me If You Can
• Schindlers List

 Short Clip Of Spielberg's Work...

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock
                                                                         

Born in Leytonstone, London on 13th August 1899, Albert Hitchcock is a famous English film director, and most of his projects were based on suspense or psychological thriller genres. Alfred Hitchcock's film career has expanded over half a century , and his main objective through his films are to maximize fear and instilling it into his audience.

Awards

• Academy For Best Picture 1940
• Two Films Nominated For Best Picture 1940
• 6 Films In AFI's 100 Best American Films 1998
• 4 Films In AFI's 10 Best Mystery Films 2008
• Won AFI Life Achievement Award

Films

• Psycho
• The Birds
• North By Northwest
• Vertigo
• Rear Window

Short Clip Of Hitchcock's Work...

Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan

Born in London on 30th July 1970, Christopher Nolan is best known for directing blockbuster thrillers. He began film making when he was 7 with his dads camera in hand, and this followed through and progressed whilst living in Chiago to making short films with future director and producer Roko Belic. 

Awards:

• Best Director (The Prestige) 2006
• Best Director (The Dark Knight) 2008
• Best Screenplay (Memento) 2000
• Best Writing (Batman Begins) 2005

Films:

• Memento
• Batman Begins
• The Dark Knight
• The Prestige
• Inception

A short clip from Nolan's 'The Dark Knight'...

Hey my name is Adam. I have just opened my new blog for my thriller, enjoy!