Thriller conventions & "Se7en" opneing titles & "Shadow of a Doubt" - Alfred Hitchcock

I'm goping to explain the genre "Thriller" conventions. The thriller convention are:
-A crime at the core of the narrative (often murder but not always).
-A complex narrative structure, with false paths, clues and resolutions.
-A narrative pattern of establishing enigmas (problems) which the viewers expecs to be resolved.
-A protagonsit (the main character) who is systematically dis-empowered and drawn into a complex web of intrigue by the antagonist (the person aposing the protagonist).
-Extraodinary events happening in ordinary situations.
-Themes of identity.
-Themes of mirroring.
-Themes of voyeurism (looking at other poeple).
-Protagonist with a 'flaw' which is exploited by the anatagonist.
-Titles often reflect an aspect of the pro/antagonist's psychological state.
-There is often a scene near the end of the film in which the protagonist is in peril.
-Mise en scene which echoes/mirrors the protagonists plight.

During class we anaylised the opening credits of the thriller "Se7en", these are the notes that were taken:

-The titles used were edgy and eye catching, as they didnt stay still, and had an shaking effect.
-There was good use of music.
-There is use of repetative images.
-The camera was not still its seemed to be movign about as if it was jumping around and shaking.
-Most of the shot dissolve into the next shot, a good use of transitions.

After that as a class we watched the first 10-15 minutes of one of Alfred Hitchcocks movies called "Shadow of a Doubt".
This film follows the thriller conventions perfectly. We see the protaganists from the very start and he is almost always covered in some form of shadow. During one scene shadow falls over his face and he almost comes to life, this therefore gives us the idea that he has darkness wihtin his character. The opening credits to this film are in stark contrast to the first scene we see. The opening credits are absed around a posh ball but upon asking my teacher about this he told me that the music come from an old opera and the music was called the "Merry Widow" which did have some releance in the film itself.

Research: Analysing other students thriller trailers

In the media lesson today we watched past coursework entries from students who did thriller trailers. We looked at te positive and negative things about the trailers. It also gave me and the other people in my group a chance to get ideas from these trialers.

The first trailer '8 Ball'
- It contained no dialoge, so there was no need to worry about the music and dilouge clashing or sounding awkard.
-Had a simple storyline
-The editing was very good
-A range of camera shots and good use of transitions between the shots
-The title of the triller was shown at the end of trailer
-The framing of the shots were good so that you could notsee the characters faces properly, giving the supense of how a thriller trailer should make you feel.
-The music used fitted the trailer very well

The second trailer 'Puppet Note'
-The acting was not good, and made the production of the trailer lack attention to the viewer(me)
-Good natural sound such as cars driving past
-Music fitted in well
-The editing was farely good
-Could of been more use ofdiffernt camera shots
-Could of been worked on abit more

Welcome - First Meeting

Hello there Im Shaunica and welcome to my blog. So for the next couple of weeks will be producing a thriller trailer for our Media Studies coursework. I'm in a group with Hannah, Carla and myself. So today was our first meeting and we were all very excited about the prospect our making this trailer. We came up a brilliant idea as soon as we all got together, which is always a good start.

STORYLINE:
-Person opens up an email and has to re-arrange the code. The code could possible read "By the time you have unscrambled this email, I will already be with you"
-Split screen of 4 people opening their emails at the same time.
-Goes back to one person, person falls on the Keyboard, KILLER scrolls down and reads your dead OR shows a youtube video of them dying.

MUSIC:
-Dramatic music - Instrumental
-Tense/ beating insturmental

LOCATIONS:
-School
-Home of the character
-Friends house (2)

PROPS:
-Computer at 6th form
-Laptop
-Fake blood
-Leather gloves

POSSIBLE TITLES:
-Dangerous Email
-C.O.D.E
-Death by Email
-The Email
-Anagram

We also drew a storyboard of how our trailer could possible look but this will be uploading next week.