Before I go ahead and even turn on the camera, I wanted to plan out my day and create and itinerary and to do list to make sure I cover all my bases. I plan to film March 24-26 (I think I can finish all in one day but I think its a good idea to give myself some wiggle room). This gives me a week and a half to edit my film opening and create my CCR. Friday, March 24th - wake up (duh) - make my way over to Party City to purchase the wigs - gather props. (i.e. wigs, costume, make up, scissors, medicine container) - gather equipment (camera, tripod, lights, microphone) - make sure setting is neat, tidy and available (aka my house bathroom) - confirm actress availability Saturday, March 25th - Go over game plan (story board) - charge camera - ask a couple of friends to assists on filming day - replace medicine label with fake antipsychotic medicine label - have wig brushed and ready to go Sunday, March 26th - lights, camera, action! - have 2 cameras handy to vary the angles and add depth - snacks and refreshments! filming can be exhausting This is pretty much all I can think of right now. I plan on doing a reflection post after filming day to explain the creative process, what went wrong, what went right, and any alterations to the storyboard or overall plot.
Lets put a face to the name! I've been on the hunt for a female actress to play the role of Pandora. Considering this isn't a big Hollywood film, I'm going to have to settle for a friend thats comfortable with acting. My good friend, Adeline Cieslak (Addy for short), is of Ecuadorian descent. She has tan skin and green eyes, which adds an exotic feel to the character.
Since Pandora will be chopping her hair off in the film opening, I decided to buy a wig for Addy to wear in order to emulate the cutting of hair, as I will not be making her cut off her own hair (she would never go through with that anyways). I searched the web for realistic yet inexpensive wings, and I found this wig from Party City. I chose this wig in particular because it looked the most realistic, and it is thick enough to allow for multiple chops. Also, it reminded me a lot of Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction. In that movie Mia is portrayed as a mysterious woman, with little information revealed about her. I think that juxtaposition will bring Pandora an even more mysterious and dramatic look, which will add to the over all vibe of the thriller.
It makes me happy to see my ideas unfolding before me. Can't wait until shooting day!
Sources: JCS10. "Ebony Blunt Bob Wig." Ebony Blunt Bob Wig - Party City. Party City, 28 Oct. 2015. Web. 19 Mar. 2017. <http://www.partycity.com/product/ebony+blunt+bob+wig.do?from=Search&navSet=wigs&costumegender=Womens&solidcolors=Black&&bypass_redirect=1>. "Mia Wallace." Pulp Ficton Wiki Wiki. Fandom, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2017. <http://pulpfiction.wikia.com/wiki/Mia_Wallace>.
Introducing...... Pandora! After a lot of research, I finally found a name that I liked AND fit the plot. At first, I was debating on naming her Arabella, like the Arctic Monkeys song that inspired this entire project. However, I decided to visit Behind the Name, a website with over 20,000 names from all cultures and time periods. After scrolling through what seemed an endless list of names, I stumbled upon the name Pandora. It stood out to me as much as Arabella had. I read the description, and suddenly it all clicked. The name Pandora is of Greek origin meaning "all gifts". It is part of mythical story, where Pandora was deemed the first mortal woman. "Zeus had given her a jar containing all of the troubles and ills that mankind now knows, and told her not to open it. Unfortunately her curiosity got the best of her and she opened it, unleashing the evil spirits into the world," the page states. You can read more about Pandora's box here.
And thats where it clicked. Pandora (character) will embody Pandora, the mortal in the myth. However, the concept of the box will be altered; instead of there being a physical box of mystery, the "box" will be her mind; the reasoning for her schizophrenia. The act opening the box, emphasized in the myth, will be mirrored by the character purposely stopping her antipsychotic medication, leading to the eventual release of the "demons" in her mind. The fact I was able to find a story to allude to my idea makes me feel happy and accomplished. Before I found this, I feel like my idea lacked foundation. These findings provide structure and further interest to the overall plot of the film opening.
Sources: Campbell, Mike. "Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Pandora." Behind the Name. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. <https://www.behindthename.com/name/pandora>. Campbell, Mike. "Name of the Day." Behind the Name: Meaning of Names, Baby Name Meanings. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. <https://www.behindthename.com/>. "The Myth of Pandora’s Box." Greek Myths Greek Mythology. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. <http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/pandoras-box-myth/>.
so, after many days of research, I am finally ready to let my creativity run wild. Reading various articles and watching many films and YouTube videos really inspired me and allowed me to visualize exactly what I want.
This video is a scene from Frida (2002) where the main character is sloppily cutting her hair. This serves as inspiration for my own idea. This scene has a more dramatic feel to it, with the slow music and the melancholy flashbacks. In order to incorporate the same concept within the context of a thriller, I plan on using more close ups and quick cuts to add suspense and mystery. The film opening is going to be set in a bathroom. The main character is going to be standing facing the mirror wearing an emotionless expression, looking at her reflection attentively, as if she was looking into her own soul. There will be scissors on the counter, which she will then grab to begin snipping at her hair violently. This action will then be juxtaposed with images/actions providing insight to her thoughts as she is shredding her hair. She is in the middle of a psychotic episode, her mind has been overrun with echoing voices and images of demons threatening to overtake her body and create havoc in the human world. The act of cutting her hair serves as a way to try and release the frustration and depression that consumes her during the psychotic break. The incorporation of mirrors and scissors are staple conventions in a thriller because they evoke a sense of mystery, suspense and violence.
Going more in depth with the story in order to establish plot, I want to make it known to the audience that the main character has gone off her psychotic medication, which I learned in the video in my previous post that the medication helps the patient differentiate from whats real and not real. By breaking this medical wall, the hallucinations and voices are able to become more vivid, clouding judgement, making the character vulnerable to her own thoughts.
This is the gist of what I want to portray. I am now in the process of creating my storyboard to map out the different scenes, compositions and editing techniques, as I had previously seen in this SlideShare, I should use in order to give the film opening an authentic feel while following thriller conventions.
Sources:
"Frida (8/12) Movie CLIP - Frida Cuts Her Hair (2002) HD." YouTube. Movieclips, 01 Oct. 2011. Web. 14 Mar. 2017. <https://youtu.be/HadRbtEI7KU>.
JasonsA2Media Follow. "Codes and Conventions of the Thriller Genre." LinkedIn SlideShare. N.p., 10 Sept. 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2017. <https://www.slideshare.net/JasonsA2Media/codes-and-conventions-of-the-thriller-genre>.
In my previous post I had come to the conclusion that I wanted the main character to battle with an inner conflict, which would appeal to my target audience. Expanding upon that, I revisited tsl in search for a sub genre that closely fit this particular idea and found that psychological thriller would be a good route to take. Psychological thrillers incorporates a theme of drama and suspense that comes from the mind, rather than a physical threat. Because of their nature, psychological thrillers tend to cross over to horror, which is something I need to avoid. I think the best way to go through with this idea is to give my main character a mental illness from which different conflicts and mysterious elements can stem from. I turned to the internet to find a psychotic disorder that would most likely fit with what I want. I found a WedMD article with all there is to know about schizophrenia. One of schizophrenia's symptoms is hallucinations, whichinvolves perceiving sensations that aren't real, such as seeing things that aren't there, and hearing voices that may comment on the person's behavior, insult or give commands.The article goes further to emphasize that schizophrenia is nothing like it is portrayed in movies. However, representing the disorder in a scary and, for lack of a better term, crazy way gives the film a more authentic mysterious and suspenseful feel. With all this information in mind, I have decided to diagnose my main character with schizophrenia. Some symptoms that will be most evident during the 2 minute opening will be:
Hallucinations
Shifting quickly from one thought to the next
Having problems making sense of everyday sights, sounds, and feelings
Laughter
I decided to dig deeper and watch YouTube videos on the topic of schizophrenia. I found two interesting videos.
This first video is an interview of a schizophrenic man in US asylum in 2008. He suffers from hallucinations, and is very calm, monotone and particular about his actions. His random bursts is somewhat creepy and confusing, which adds to the tension of the video. I found it particularly interesting when he mentions that the things he sees and the voices he hears are of demonic nature, and that they are present during the interview. The man also mentions he is receiving antipsychotic medication which helps him differentiate from whats real and not real, however it does not make the hallucinations go away.
This next video I found was interesting because it gives insight to a schizophrenic patient's auditory hallucinations. The viewer can hear the voices that go off inside the patient's head as the interview is being conducted and see how they interfere with his concentration. I think this video is extremely helpful because it can help me to accurately depict hallucinations and get a feel of the psychological realm I am venturing into.
Sources: Buffam, Noelle. "Genre: Thriller." The Script Lab. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <http://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/thriller>. "Schizophrenia: An Overview." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/mental-health-schizophrenia#2-4>.
ThePactProject. "TRUE STORY - Interview with Schizophrenic Man." YouTube. YouTube, 16 June 2009. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4b-_bNsajY>. Psychiatryteacher. "Hearing Voices - Patient's Perspective." YouTube. YouTube, 18 Nov. 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh06HsxBXqI&t=420s>.
I read this article by Forbes in order to better understand the purpose and importance of a target audience. The article states, "By clearly identifying target audiences, it becomes easier to capture someone's attention because their needs and goals are front and centre." After reading that sentence I thought, ok, what do people look for in thrillers? Then I stumbled upon a research paper on Scribd. that answered that question for me. Thriller fanatics are people who:
like to figure things out for themselves
don't give up trying to figure out what's happening
like the element of surprise
Thriller Movie Gender Profile
enjoy the mystery and twist in a plot
The age ranges that most closely fit those descriptions where 18-25 and then jumps to 50+. In addition to the age range, thriller fanatics tend to have a slight female skew. I decided to stick with this target audience because it shows the "know it all" tendencies of young adults, which can be fueled by the mysterious aspects of thrillers. With this established, I am confident in pursuing a female lead in order to appeal and empower women to watch the film. Also, as sexist as it is, an attractive female will undoubtedly attract male interest, ultimately killing two birds with one stone. In order to hit all interests of thriller movie-goers, I am leaning towards the idea of presenting the main character with an internal conflict she is trying to resolve. This paves way to mystery and suspense, as important factors are unknown both by the character and audience. In addition, it allows the audience to try and piece together what is going on, ultimately hitting the important elements that capture the mentioned target audience.
Sources:
Ladypreach. "Target Audience and Genre Research." Scribd. Scribd, n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2017. <https://www.scribd.com/doc/22176569/Target-Audience-and-Genre-Research>. Evans, Mark. "The Importance of Really Knowing Your Target Audiences." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 20 Mar. 2013. Web. 9 Mar. 2017. <https://www.forbes.com/sites/markevans/2013/03/20/the-importance-of-really-knowing-your-target-audiences/#67a523034dd7>.
In order to understand the visual aspects of thrillers, I decided to do some binge watching. I visited FilmCrave.com which is a growing entertainment website that allows movie fanatics to act as critics and voice their opinions on different movies. I liked the idea behind this website because it gives raw, genuine and unbiased opinions and recommendations on a wide variety of movies. A perfect way to find quality thrillers: let the people talk.
Movie Lists+ > top movies by genre > top thriller movies
clicking the tabs mentioned above brought me to this link, a list of various thrillers rated out of four stars. An interesting feature of this list is that it's "calculated daily" meaning it is up to date with current movie releases. With that established, it is evident that the top three movies on the list have held their spot for a while, thus ensuring their prestige as thrillers in the movie world.
After narrowing my search, I dedicated the day to watching these 3 movies, The Silence of the Lambs (1991) directed by Jonathan Demme, Se7en (1995) directed by David Fincher, and Rear Window (1954) directed by Alfred Hitchcock. I played close attention to the opening credits, opening scene, genre conventions and editing techniques in order to get a feel for what an authentic thriller should include.
1. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
This particular opening sequence uses gray tones to convey a sense of mystery in addition to the gloomy forest and overcast day. The scene transitions from wide shots, tilts and long takes, to establish the setting, to quick cuts and close ups to introduce what seems to be the main character. The quick cuts and close ups create ambiguity and mystery as to who the person is and what they are doing. Furthermore, music plays a key role in the development of the clip. It begins with a slow, morose tempo while the shots introduce the setting. But, as the actor is introduced, the tempo picks up, eventually matching the rhythm of the running figure. Towards the end, it begins to give off a creepy feel, almost as if the character is running away from something. I like this particular approach at introducing a character because it leaves the audience with a taste of mystery and it encourages them to continue watching for more clues as the plot develops.
2. Se7en (1995)
Ok, I know this technically isn't the opening scene but I do believe it has vital elements related to thrillers that I must address. First, it makes me realize just how important sound is in a thriller. If you play this particular clip muted, the visuals lose their substance. Don't get me wrong, they do an amazing job at setting tone/mood, however it is not enough to give the viewer that feeling in the pit of their stomach, which is something I'm striving towards. Also, I want to mention reoccurring themes I'm starting to pick up on: Dark tones, and close ups! Dark tones add a mysterious and scary feel to the clip, making the viewer feel scared and unsure of what is to come. That, paired with close ups, create in cohesive juxtapositions that latch the audience on and strap them in for the ride.
3. Read Window (1954)
The composition of this film opening is a little different. It showcases a series of pans and tilts to help the viewer visualize the apartment complex. Interestingly enough, each resident is framed by their back window, isolating their actions as individuals. Towards the end, what seems to be the main character is introduced, wearing a full leg cast, with the writing, "Here lie the broken bones of L.B. Jefferies." highlighting his complete immobilization. The shot goes further into the apartment and provides close ups of different picture frames, aiming to establish the nature of the life of this character before his accident. I know this is a long shot, but the juxtaposition of the cast with how the setting is displayed almost gives the feel as if the character is house-bound because of his injury, and therefore his window is his only access into the outside world. These three film openings exemplify similar thriller conventions with emphasis on specific elements, whether its sound, composition or mis-en-scene. They serves as good references as to how I should approach my particular film opening, aiming develop mystery and suspense by manipulating how the audience sees the content. Keeping in mind that these are movies produced and directed by professionals, I'm skeptical about how my own take on will turn out. I love a good challenge! Sources: Kavan, Chris. "Top Thriller Movies List." FilmCrave. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2017. <http://www.filmcrave.com/list_genre_movie.php?genre=Thriller>. "Silence Of The Lambs - Opening Titles." YouTube. NIRM Productions, 09 Dec. 2015. Web. 8 Mar. 2017. <https://youtu.be/eyLI4eL2c_s>. "Se7en | Opening Credits | 720p." YouTube. Vaslav Tchitcherine, 18 Nov. 2011. Web. 8 Mar. 2017. <https://youtu.be/OEq-4fua3lM>. "REAR WINDOW Opening (Cinematography)." YouTube. Clint Stivers, 20 Jan. 2014. Web. 8 Mar. 2017. <https://youtu.be/I5It0nmoYE4>.
- gather equipment (camera, tripod, lights, microphone)
