For our AS Film Studies
production coursework, we had to create a short film or a sequence from a film.
I decided to work in a group with two other students, Sophie Lisi and Emily
Collins. We decided to create a sequence from a Thriller film. It would be
targeted at men aged 15 to 30 and young girls, who would relate to the girls in
the sequence. The micro – features that I will be focusing on will be sound and
cinematography. These micro – features would help show who the protagonist and
antagonist are and the codes and conventions would help contract the mood and
atmosphere of the Thriller genre. The codes and conventions would enhance the
tension and fear in the atmosphere, for the audience, as the sequence
progresses. I was mainly responsible for the diegetic and non-diegetic sound.
However, we all contributed to the different aspects of the sequence. For
example: I contributed to the camerawork whilst filming and helped in editing.
The soundtrack that we used
for our sequence was chosen after we had edited the sequence. We did this to
narrow the search of tracks down to the ones that best suited the sequence. I
looked through various types of tracks on a website named AudioNetwork.com. I
searched through tracks that had been categorized to be eerie and tense. This
would make the audience feel uncomfortable and would build suspense. After the
others girls had agreed with the track we added it to the sequence. We were
able to move the clips around and edit further to ensure that the track suited
the sequence the best it could.
We decided on the track that
sounded eerie and tense to heighten the mood and atmosphere. The non – diegetic
track would make the audience feel nervous, which would intensify the feel on
the Thriller film. This creates realism. As the volume fluctuates the quietness
in some parts on the sequence creates realism and makes the audience feel like
they are in the Thriller sequence. The audience also senses an evil presence,
which makes them feel uncomfortable.
The diegetic sound was kept
at a low volume due to the sequence being about masked girls sneaking through a
house in search of a large sum of money. In the success of opening the door,
the sound of clinking is enhanced to be audible in comparison to the process of
breaking in, where the sound of the tools can be heard whilst they are being
removed to pick the lock. When one of the two girls discovers the suitcase,
full of money, the audience is able to hear the sound of the sliding and
unzipping of the suitcase. Once the suitcase has been unzipped, the rustling of
the money is heard, which shows the objective of the robbery being achieved. In
some parts of the sequence, for example the when the suitcase is being carried
out, quiet footsteps are heard to heighten the intensity. This makes the
audience feel nostalgic and uneasy as it creates a feeling of a misfortunate
event. The whispering in the sequence creates suspense and makes the audience
feel uneasy as they become alarmed that the victim will be woken. The gasp at
the end makes the audience feel afraid as they have witness the victim moments
from death. As the pace of the non – diegetic track fastens and it becomes
louder, it amplifies that tension and suspense as it makes the death feel more
dramatic. All the diegetic sounds creates a touch of realism throughout the
sequence.
Throughout the sequence the
cinematography creates tension and sets a mood and atmosphere for the audience.
Whilst filming we handheld the camera, which made created a panicky atmosphere
and made the audience feel uneasy. The handheld camerawork also created the
uncertainty of a third member, in their point of view. Furthermore, the
handheld camerawork throughout and the focus being pulled when the antagonists
are walking up the stairs, makes the sequence seem uneasy and connotes that the
masked girls are uncertain of what their next step is. In addition, the
handheld camera creates realism because it builds tensions for the audience.
The swift handheld pan, when the antagonists are walking to the other side of
the hallway, shows that they are on the right track. This is because the swift
pan shows stability and shows they are on the right course.
