Seven:
Narrative Structure: Seven it a Crime Thriller and is based around two detectives trying to solve murders that are linked with the seven deadly sins, this film follows all the codes and conventions as, it includes a lot of theories and includes abnormal events.
Thriller Codes and Conventions: During Seven there is a lot of suspense music leading up to the killings; there is also a killing in the opening sequence so straight away the audience know that the film is going to follow the codes and conventions a thriller, and the audience know that the film is going to be a crime thriller as it involves police and killings. Like a lot of thrillers there is dramatic music in the opening titles and the font looks chilling and scary indicating that the film is suppose to create a negative atmosphere. Camera Work: The camera work in Seven creates the atmosphere as a range of shot are used to make something seem like something weird and different, a range of shots are also used to give detail and show the audience other things. A tilted camera shot is used to give a sense a negative feeling as this seem abnormal and strange, over the shoulder shots are used when people are talking to show the audience who is talking so they do not get confused. A low angle shot is used as the detectives walk in the street, this suggests that the city is very big and shows the characters as being timid to the city.
Mise-en-scene: At the start of Seven we know exactly who is going to be the main character as it fades in to him and almost looks like were peering in on him, he is wearing white, indicating that he is an ordinary calm character, the character also has a neat house and bed showing he is a tidy character. Low key lighting is in the house when the fat person is murdered making the detectives look timid as it is dark and shadowy. We know Seven was set in modern day as the clothes they are wearing look like they were from modern day and are the type of clothes people would of wore. In Seven the whole atmosphere is negative as people are wearing dark miserable clothes and it constantly rains and damp, cold and dark, due to the lighting within the scene.
Sound: In the opening titles we can hear the city before we see the image, we can hear sirens and cars showing that the film is set within a loud city, we can also hear thunder and loud noise which then leads to the opening titles. In the opening titles there is a lot of non-diegectic sound, this includes, screechy and scratchy noises which makes it distressing to the audience and sets the mood for the film as it is designed to wake up and make the audience pay attention to what is going on, on the screen.
Editing: The first scene fades in from black as this shows it is a beginning of a sequence, in the opening titles it flashes to other images, a montage. Just in the opening titles of Seven, a lot of editing is sued such as dissolves, fade ins and cinema style edits.
Graphics: There is a lot of graphics to take note in, in Seven, in the opening titles a man is cutting off the tip of his fingers and the audience is left wondering what he is doing, we then find out later in the film. There is a lot of erratic movement in the titles as the images and writing is jumping about everywhere, this also pulls you in as it is unexpected as you want to watch it to find out what will happen, also in the opening titles, red is reoccurring, showing blood and death.
Narrative Structure: Jaws is a film within the thriller genre and is based on a killer shark, this film follows all the codes and conventions of a thriller as it involved tension building and suspenseful atmosphere.Thriller Codes and Conventions: During Jaws there is a lot dramatic and suspenseful music, this is a typical horror as we know that in all thrillers there is always tension building music and in Jaws when the music reaches climax and the audience are expecting something to happen, it just cuts to a group of people on the beach. Also like a lot of thrillers many theories are used: Question and Answer mode is used when as the audience we are wondering what’s going to happen to the people near the water? And where the two people are going when they isolate themselves form the group is something going to happen?. Concealment and protraction is also used when we never see the “animal” that is attacking the girl in the water we just see her get pulled down and she never comes back up, as an audience we don’t even really know what has happened.
Camera work in Jaws is also like a typical thriller as there are point of view shots from “killer” and the camera stops at one guy on the beach, and then switched to the girl, so we know that they are the two important characters. A long shot is also used when the girl swims out into the deep water as we then can see just how small she is compared to the sea so as an audience we become anxious as in the opening titles we have just seen something lurking in the water. In Jaws the music supports the way in which the camera moves.
Mise-en-scene is important in Jaws as we can see where it is set, which is important because we need to know just how much they are in danger, whether they are far from the sea or right near the sea,. Using mise-en-scene we can see when the film is set and judging by the clothes they are wearing we can tell it is not set in modern day as there clothes look a bit 1970’s. In Jaws we use Mise-en-scene to analyse the scene as when the lighting becomes to get dark, we know they are in danger as the further they go out to see, the darker it gets symbolising as they get closer to the water the more danger they have put themselves in, it gets so dark at one point, that we can also see the stilettos of the female in the water, and like a typical horror the female is seen to be more vulnerable, and the more she strips off the more vulnerable she gets because her clothes are like protection, so she is the one in the water getting stalked by something unknown. When the camera tracks back out from the girl that has just vanished, the sea looks calm and still, like nothing had even happened.
Sound: At the start of Jaws there is non-diegectic, suspense and tension building music which gets louder and faster, almost like a heartbeat. In the opening titles of Jaws there is an odd noise which sounds like a submarine in the water so straight away we know most of the action is going to take place in the water. When the girl is in the water she rings the bell to sound an SOS but because she is so far out no one can hear her, there is dramatic sound during this scene which tells us whatever is happening isn’t good there is also diegectic sound of the female screaming telling the audience that things happening beneath that we cant see are painful.
Editing and Graphics are very simple and plain. There are many cuts used within Jaws as the film is edited to action on screen, the graphics are also bold and in your face as they are in capitals and you cant miss them.
Silence of the Lambs
Narrative structure: Silence of the Lambs is based on and FBI agent who tries to find a serial killer before it is too late, this film is a typical thriller because it has a lot of twist and turns and a mysterious atmosphere
Thriller Codes and Conventions: During the opening sequence of the film, a woman is running through the forest at first it seems she is running away from something and she seems very sweaty, at this stage, question and answer modes come into play, this is a typical thriller code and convention as, as the audience we are constantly asking questions like who is she running from? Why is she running from them? The woman also seems lost and looks like she’s looking for something as she stops looks around, but isn’t sure where she is going, this is like the typical code and convention, mazes and labyrinths as it is full of twist and turns as she is unsure where to go, later on though, our questions are answered when we find out that she is looking for the assault course and she is part of the FBI. Also like typical thrillers, the lighting is very dim and it seems to be very foggy, this is a typical thriller code and convention as thrillers always seem to have to create a dark atmosphere.
Camera Work: At the beginning of the opening scene there is an establishing shot of the woods, this create an uneasy atmosphere straight away as, as the audience we know the woods isn’t a very safe place. The camera also pans to two ropes which we are curious about until we see a girl climb up then, the camera then follows the girl, which includes a mixture of shots, there are cuts, zooms and pans from her feet to her face. An eye-line match is also used as; she looks at something then the camera pans round, keeping the audience in suspense.
Mise-en-scene: The clothes she is wearing is not usually clothes that we see in this modern day, indicating the film was set awhile ago, but not to far back. We also know that the girl is some significance in the film as she is the first person we see on set. We also know that where she is, is a remote area and not many people will be around, we then see a guy in a luminous vest that then talks to her, this indicates that the guy is suppose to be there we now know at this stage she is in the FBI as we see it on his hat. When she runs through the woods and up to a building we find out that is it an FBI training camp indicating that this will be the main setting.
Sound: like a typical thriller film, when she is running through the cold dark woods, we can hear deep, suspense music, which makes us wonder what will happen to her. During the opening sequence we can hear diegetic and non-diegetic sound; we can hear the birds flying out the tress like they have been disturbed and the sound of gun fire and in the background we can still hear that tense music.
Editing and Graphics: At the start of the sequence there is a fade in from black which reveals the woods, there is not much editing a there is just clear cuts throughout the sequences. The graphics in the opening sequence do not play a big part as they just tell us where the place is and they are quite plain, not really extravagant, they just stand out.
Narrative Structure: in the opening sequence of red eye we are introduced to the main characters in a matter of minutes, we know that the main character will be Lisa as she is shown more regularly and there is more emphasis on her. Also in the beginning a wallet is taken off the side, with the initials J.R we then see that same wallet later on, so we make the connection that the wallet is going to be important, then later on we know who the wallet belongs to and the fact they just threw the cards away, shown that they didn’t take it for the money. We also know at the start most of the action is going to take place on the plane as she is about to get on the last flight out.
Codes and Conventions: Red eye also follows the typical codes and conventions of a thriller as there is suspense music, it is set in a city and it is dark and raining. It also follows the codes and conventions because concealment and protraction is used as we never see who has taken the wallet, or what they want with it, question and answer mode in also used as the audience are left asking who are these people and what are they doing?
Camera Work: there are a lot of cuts used in Red eye, as they are having a conversation but in different places, at the start, an establishing shot is used so we now know what the hotel is called and where it is, we then know that some action will take place here. In the opening sequence we see a lot of picture of a young girl and the camera pans right showing these, this shows she is, a sporty fit and healthy girl, with all these picture out it shows she is an all round American girl and is a dream daughter and her dad loves her.
Mise-en-scene: W can tell Red eye is set in the modern day because; the characters are wearing modern day clothes and the city, look modern day set. We know that most of the action is going to be set on the plane as on the phone she says she is taking the last flight out which is the red eye and this is the title of the film so we know it has some significance. In the opening sequence we straight away learn what sort of character Lisa is or when she was younger, through the photos we are shown.
Sound: In “Red Eye” there is suspense music at the beginning, the music reaches the climax after the wallet is taken and then cuts to the hotel scene. There is non-diegetic and diegetic sound within the first as we can hear the diegetic sound of cars and ice and the lift and we can hear the non-diegetic sound of the tension music in the background that makes the audience wonder what is exactly going on. In the opening titles of the film as “Red Eye” is shown, we can hear a plane taking off in the background indicating to the audience what the film is about we also know that Red Eye is the last flight out.
Editing and Graphics: At the start of the film there is a montage as it flicks through the different photos and scenes. Also when the girl is on the phone to her colleague and dad there is many cuts used as they have a conversation showing they are in different places. The graphics in the film seem simple apart from the title “Red Eye” as that stands out as it is in big bold red font on a black background. At the start of the film the graphics come onto the screen and fade into black almost like there sinking from sight.
