Audience profile.

Audience profile.

This is my audience profile showing what my audience prefer/ expect to see in my final thriller opening. and also who my audience are aimed to be.

Age: (15 years of age to 18 years of age.)

Gender: The gender profile does not matter so male and female are both included in the target audience.

What my audience look for in a Thriller: The location that my audience would prefer is a location that is not easily recognisable therefore making it more thrilling as the audience would not know where they are! My audience also prefer a film in the present and would also prefer a fast paced film than a slow paced one. With this information we can find films that fill in to these slots like the ‘Born Series’ and ‘Collateral’ both include uncommon locations, are all set in the recognisable present and are all fast paced.

How I am going to appeal to the audience.

I will please my audience with my locations the Norwich train station, the train station may not be recognisable to a wider audience… but it is recognisable as a train station also with the thriller being set here it is distinguished with the present. The audience prefer/ expect to see a establishing shot to set the location and introduction of a character, a film that comes to mind with these two aspects included which is ‘Leon’. In ‘Leon’ with in the opening scene the film that sets the scene with a establishing shot, and straight after that the film introduces the main character very well. This can help when planning our planning very well and will hopefully give some new fresh ideas.

Questionnaire Results

I used a questionnaire which I handed to a sample group of ten, 15-18 year olds I chose the group because firstly it was easier to ask these people as my fellow students are all in that age range, 15-18 are a major target market for cinemas and for the film industry (they are more frequent cinema-goers than 35-40yr olds, for instance) but also I have chosen this age range as I am also in this age range and my ideas for the thriller will be biased towards that age range and therefore I want to see if other people from my age range have similar ideas.

My respondents reactions to the questionnaire;-

1) What is your favorite sub genre of a thriller film..?
My respondents responded with around 20% Action, 20% saying science, no one said fiction, 40% said crime, no one said drama and 20% said Horror.

2) Do you prefer a slow pace film or a fast pace..?

My respondents responded to this question with 80% saying they prefer a fast paced film to a slow paced film where only 20% chose that option. The results from this question that the intended audience do not like slow paced films such as ‘Insomnia’ and ‘Psycho’ but in stead they like fast paced films such as ‘Leon’

3) What is your preferred location for a thriller film..?
My respondents answered quite evenly with all the options around 30%- An Unknown place 30%- Familiar place 10%- Foreign 30%- Out of this world 30%

The results of this question show that if a familiar location is used then therefore it is less thrilling as you know the location and know whether it is thrilling or not.

4) What time period do you prefer a thriller to be set..? 20% of my respondents chose the option - Future. 20% of my respondents chose the option - Past. 50% of my respondents chose the option - Present. 10% said that a Famous historical event would be the best setting for a thriller.

This results of this question I think show that the present is the best setting for the film ( films like ‘Leon’ and ‘Layer Cake’ )I think this is so because it will be more thrilling if it is within the present day as it is more believable and therefore you will be more thrilled.

5) What aspect of a thriller film do you think is most important? 10% of my respondents said Lighting (lighting is very big in films like ‘Third man’) 40% of my respondents said that Sound is the most important aspect in a thriller film. (In ‘Insomnia’ and ‘Leon’ the sound is used to the maximum potential and brings another aspect to the films.) A massive 50% said that Props / costumes is the most important aspect to be included in a thriller film.

The results of this question I think will help me when I start to plan and edit my thriller film project. As I will take all these aspects in to account but to keep most of my interest on sound and the props and costumes.

6) Finally I think one of the most important questions in my questionnaire - What is the main thing you are expected to see in an opening to a thriller film? 30% - A short part of the storyline setting up the rest of the film. 20% - A sequence of clips setting the scene. 40% - Introduction of a character. 10% - To confuse the spectator therefore making him/her want to watch the rest of the film.

The results from this question will come in to mind when I start to plan for my thriller film project as, the answers to this question can completely change my ideas! In ‘Leon’ there is a part right at the beginning of the film that sets the scene with a establishing shot, and straight after that the film introduces the main character very well.

Overall the Questionnaire has opened many other windows for directions of the way the film planning direction will go, as I will take in to account all the aspects that have high percentages in the results.

Questionnaire

1) What is your favourite sub genre of a thriller film..?

-Action.
-Science.
-Fiction.
-Crime.
-Drama.
-Horror.
-Other.

2) Do you prefer a slow pace film or a fast pace..?

3) What is your preferred location for a thriller film..?

- An Unknown place.
- Familiar place.
- Foreign.
- out of this world.

4) What time period do you prefer a thriller to be set..?

Future.
Past .
Present.
Famous historical event.

5) What aspect of a thriller film do you think is most important ?

Lighting?
Sound?
Props / costumes?

6) What is the main thing you are expected to see in an opening to a thriller film?

-A short part of the storyline setting up the rest of the film.
-A sequence of clips setting the scene.
-Introduction of a character.
-To confuse the spectator therefore making him/her want to watch the rest of the film.

Location Shots.

Here is a still shot of where are establishing shot of our thriller will start. It will consist of fast and slow shots, going through the alley's of the market place. Making some of the shots being fast and occasionally a bit blury giving a sense of uncertainty and anxiety. these shots will continue till the camera finds the 'Spice Stall'.

Here are a couple of shots of what the parallel alleys in the market place look like. as you can see it is a very unnerving place, and you can immediately image it in a thriller film. the other shot is of the 'spice stall' it is a very freakish place as you may be able to see as it sells allot of strange herbs and spices, and is perfect for our thriller film.

Here is an idea of what the shot would look like for our establishing shot for the beginning of the train station scene. We have chosen to include a scene at Norwich train station because as you can see from the images above and below that Norwich station is unique. As it is a big building and has long platforms giving a thriller planner the perfect opportunity to get some amazing shots. Lighting at the train station is amazing as the train station leads out in to the train yard and given the right opportunity to get some amazing lighting involved in our shots.

By Finbarr Pine

Photo's Taken By: Finbarr Pine & Jasmine Dinnage.

Thriller Treatment

The film opens on a shot of man 1 at a spice stall; you would hear street noise general sounds, diegetic. He talks to the man and buys a brown package (drugs) then it cuts to a clip of a girl walking over the bridge with a brown package in her hands, not really knowing where she is going. The shot then changes and you see man 1 getting out of a taxi. Then he walks towards and into the train station. On the side of the building you can see man 2 waiting and leaning on the wall. Inside the train station you see the girl sitting at one of the round benches. Man 1 is then seen walking into the train station and looking at the timetables. Man 2 is seen in the distance but not focused on. Close up of the girl then you she stands up and walks straight into man 1 on purpose and she and him both drop the brown packages. She quickly picks his up pretending it is hers and walks away swiftly. He stands up and walks over to the toilets. You see a close up of the packet and he opens it to double check the package inside but man 1’s phone rings and stops him. Then a shot of the girl outside walking quickly to a taxi then man 2 is seen and the girl bumped into his shoulder and a slow motion shot is shown of their eyes looking at each other. A worried look is shown on man 1’s face and he hangs up only to have the phone ring again and he just looks at it and close up of the phone. Then man 2 appears next to man 1 and says ‘you should really answer your phone when I call’. The package is then exchanged and man 2 checks it. They then find that the package contains photos of the girl and not the drugs. Finally you see them both look up and look at the exit.
The sub-genre is tricky to define; it is a journey across the country with the characters in a sort of chase to retrieve stolen drugs. So it isn’t a detective/thriller but it won’t be as fast pace as a thriller suspense, although it is probably closer to being a thriller suspense.

Casting and Costume

Man 1 - Cameron
Man 2 - Ray
Girl - Matilda

Man 1 costume: Black leather bomber jacket
Dark jeans
Smart black shoes or Dark trainers
Scruffy hair

Man 2 costume: Black or Cream mack/anorack
Dark Trousers
Smart black shoes
Black trilby hat

Girl costume: Summer dress in bright colours
Long coat
Small pump shoes
Scarf

Props:
Two brown parcel bags
Two family photos
A bag of herbs/spices – supposed drugs
Train !!

Story Board For Preliminary Task.