Risk Assessment

This is my risk assessment that I have created for risks that could occur during filming.

I will give this to the people involved in the filming before we film so they are aware of the risks, how to avoid them and what to do if they occur. I will do this so that there are no accidents whilst filming and therefore it will be more efficient. 

Filming Schedule

Filming for first draft 

When : 9pm Sunday 27th November

What : All shots from storyboard

Where : Car park

who : Brian, Hooded man

Filming for first draft backup plan

Why : Incase there are problems with location or actor becomes unavailable

When: 9pm Monday 28th November

What: All shots from storyboard

Where: The same car park or if unable to use, a car park near the canal

Who: Brian, Hooded man

Props

https://app.emaze.com/@AWWITWLL/props

Location

A majority of the shots will take place within the car. The backseat of the car won't be shown as the man is sitting in the front seat. This location is suitable as it adds a sense of loneliness and creates more mystery about who the man in the car is as it raises questions such as why is he in a car?and hy is he alone in a car park?

The inside of the car is where the majority of the filming take place however the actual location of where the film is being shot is in an empty car park near a building where I live. This is a suitable location because there are few lights in this area however it is not completley pitch black and it is also isolated so there should be no other cars or people distracting me from filming.

(I don't have a picture of this place at the moment because I forgot but I'll take one soon)

Costume

Costume 1 - John

Actor : Brian

The character of John will be dressed in casual clothes as his character isn't a professional and this creates a less serious persona. The non seriousness of the outfit creates a contrast as the opening will be serious and intense. The casual choice of costume may also help viewers relate more to the man as from my target audience research a lot of people were young and therefore may not relate to a man in a suit.

For a top, this jumper will be worn because it is white and therefore will be a good contrasting colour to the darkness surrounding him. The jumper also helps the costume look casual and it does not reflect a serious business character like a shirt or blazer would.




For trousers, these blue jeans will be worn. These also help create a more casual look to the costume.




















Finally, these large black boots will be worn. These shoes are not what is necessarily seen as smart and therefore reinforces the casual yet put together look which is being created.


















Costume 2 - Hooded man

Actor : Clare

This character's face will not be seen in the opening to create mystery, suspense whilst also raising questions for the audience. Therefore the costume for this character will be all black and hiding their face.

Firstly, these jeans will be worn along with this top as they are both all black. The black colour of clothes will be used as the actor will be sitting in the dark so black will make them difficult to see and therefore more mysterious and threatening.

The actor will also wear this hat and mask as part of their costume as it will cover their face, again adding to the mystery and suspense of who this character is for the audience.

Finally, these gloves will be a part of the costume for two reasons. The first reason for these is that I have casted a woman to play the male role as the character will not be seen by the audience so they won't know any difference, as long as the hands are covered so this doesn't reveal it to be a woman. Secondly, the actor will be holding a gun and therefore wearing gloves would act as a forensic counter measure, which indicates that John is in trouble.

Actors

ACTORS

For my thriller I will be using one main actor the protagonist and then another actor to play the hooded man.

To decide who would be the protagonist I conducted the surveys shown below.

From the results I concluded that the protagonist should be a middle aged man with dark hair and a beard. 

This is Brian, who will be playing the protagonist as he met the criteria for the role.


As for the hooded man role I will be using a woman, Clare, to play the role. The reason for this is that the hooded man's characters face isn't going to be seen by the audience. Therefore using a male or female won't cause any difference as the audience won't be aware. The second reason for using this woman is that she is already being used to do a voice recording and therefor is available and free to film, meaning filming can be more productive and less time will be wasted. However, to avoid detection that this is a woman I will be using Brian's voice in  a different accent and changed slightly to say the word "Drive". I will also use costume to cover her face and hands so that no one notices it is not a man.

Storyboard

Using my initial storyline ideas and incorporating the information I gathered from analysing other thrillers and my audience research I created this mind map. I will use the mind map to refer to when making the thriller so I know the order of which things occur.

Audience Research - Online Survey

To gather more information about my target audience and what they would prefer to see in my thriller opening I conducted an online survey.

Mind map and Narrative

This is the mind map of ideas I had to do with the thriller opening. I used what I already knew about thrillers and combined this with what I seen during my thriller analysis' to create the mind map.




From this Mind map I then came to the conclusion that the storyline of my thriller was going to be about a man waiting to pick up a gun in a car park. The man is lying to his wife about where he is to make the story appear much more suspicious. The plot twist is that when he gets back in his car another man is already in his car and holds a gun to his head.  This plot twist will raise a lot of questions such as has he been in the car the entire time and why is he there?

Analysing other AS thrillers

Analysing the opening sequence of Blood Simple

Analysing the opening sequence of Blood Simple


   

Blood Simple (1984)

The opening sequence of Blood Simple begins with a long shot displaying an empty road stretching to the horizon surrounded by large empty fields. The only object seen in this shot is a bit of old tyre on the side of the road which indicates that for the most part, this area is empty and not many people visit or pass through .To accompany the shot a non-diegetic voiceover can be heard. The voiceover is spoken by a man from Texas which helps establish the location of the film for the audience.

The shot then fades into a second one which shows a large field with a few oil rigs set up, but again there are no people. This shot creates quite a bleak atmosphere as it's showing the empty space of the country and nature but implies how this has been destroyed by man and machinery. This bleakness is also reinforced in the voiceover as the man has no enthusiasm and his words reflect this. 

The next shot again shows the open land and the vastness of the countries' fields however, this time it's showing the area's separation from people as the city can be seen in the far distance. This creates isolation and continues the bleak atmosphere being created. In each of the next few shots it continues to show the large country space along with distant objects such as houses in the background. This reinforces the disconnection, isolation and emptiness of the area.

The lighting then suddenly becomes very dark as a shot of the oil rigs is shown. The darkness creates shadows on the machines and begins to add a sense of mystery. 

After the oil rig shot has been shown, instead of the soft fade edits that had been previously used, a straight cut edit bluntly cuts to the next shot of a pitch black screen with one dot of light. This sudden change of editing reflects that of the lighting and as the voiceover says "down here, you're on your own" the sense of isolation and mystery drastically increases. 

The dot of light previously mentioned is a car which travels past the camera and non-diegetic music begins to play. The music includes a range of high pitched keyboard notes accompanied with a soft drum beat. Along with this there is also the diegetic sound of a car driving fast along a wet road. The shot then cuts to a very distinctive shot which appears to be taken from the bumper of a car moving fast on the road. This shot then fades to black and the title "Blood Simple" quickly emerges onto the screen. Unusually, the title includes a full stop and the choice of blue against the black screen seems unexpected as the word blood has connotations to red, not blue. The font used is quite "fancy" as it is serif which creates connatations that the film is proffesional and serious.

The following shot then shows the silhouettes of two people within the interior of a car. The figures are backlit by the light of oncoming vehicles, however this lighting is diffused by the rain water which has covered the wind screen . The two begin conversation which is accompanied by the diegetic sound of wind screen wipers and questions are created for the audience such as where the two are travelling and who they are. The up and down movement of the wind screen wipers reflects that of the earlier shot of the oil rigs moving up and down. This creates a visual rhyme between two types of machinery. Whilst the conversation is taking place titles flash up on screen in the same blue font as before whilst each vehicle passes. Finally, the content of the dialouge foreshadows violence, guns and infidelity indicating to the audience that this is a thriller. 

Analyising the opening sequence of Vertigo

Analysing the opening sequence of Vertigo

Vertigo (1958)

The opening sequence of Vertigo begins with an extreme close up of a bar. A hand then reaches up and grasps the bar and fast paced string music beings to play. 

The camera then zooms away from the bar to reveal that it is a man climbing a fire escape ladder of a building. The shot makes the audience question what is happening and the ominous music indicates the man is in some kind of danger. The danger he is in is reinforced when shortly after he gets off the ladder a policeman and detective are seen going up the ladder as well. The policeman is also holding a gun which could indicate to the audience something bad is about to happen. 

An establishing shot of the city scape is used relieving to the audience that there is a chase taking place up on a rooftop, the shot also sets the location of the film as the Golden Gate Bridge of San fransico can be seen. The camera pans as the man is chased by the policeman and detective and diegetic gunshots are heard which increases the thrill and suspense of the scene.

A straight cut edit is used to transition to the next shot which shows the man jumping from one building to the next. At first the suspense is high as he begins to struggle to climb to safety however the tension drops as he manages to climb his way up to the top of the roof. Still in the same shot the policeman makes the jump, this time he struggles slightly more, which again raises the suspense which is dropped once the policeman reaches safety. 

However, the scene then moves to a mid shot as the detective tries to jump the gap but fails and ends up hanging off the edge of the roof. At this point, the suspense and tension will be very high for the audience as they aren't sure if he'll make it to safety or not. The fast paced music that was previously playing turns to a slower paced drum and "rumbling" sound. 

As the detective looks down at the ground through an aerial point of view shot 'Hitchcock' uses a dolly zoom now famously known as the 'vertigo shot'. The vertigo shot is where the camera pulls back from the subject whilst the lens zooms in. This produces a disorienting sense of going backwards and forwards at the same time. The shot also shows a long drop and is accompanied by a high pitched string sound which echoes that of a scream. This indicates to the audience that if he doesn't get to safety he will fall and die. A series of shots then quickly cut between the detective and the policeman. This makes the scene more intense as the uneasy shots of the drop also continue to be shown. 

At this point the suspense is incredibly high and as the policeman reaches out for the detective the audience expect the man to now be slightly safer. However, unexpectedly, the policeman falls off of the roof and an aerial shot is shown of him falling to his death. This lessens the suspense for the audience however it adds to the shock and thrill as a fade to black leaves them wandering if the detective will climb to safety.

Analysing the opening sequence of Memento

Analysing the opening sequence of Memento

Memento (2000)

Memento's opening title sequence begins with showing the film's production companies name in blue against a black background. At this point, the sound of a soft violin can be heard quietly playing in the background. More blue titles begin to fade in and out slowly and this corresponds with the sound of the violin. 

Once the title 'Memento' appears on screen there is then a fade from black to reveal a point of view close up shot showing a polaroid photograph that someone is holding. The orchestral music continues to play and this adds a sense of sadness to the shot. 

The shot then shows the picture being shaken, as you would with a polaroid picture, however now the image appears to be fading to white and it then becomes apparent this shot has been reversed through editing. This then adds to the already present mystery of why there is a picture of a blood covered floor as the audience will now be questioning why it is in reverse. This may make them wander things such as if the storyline of the whole thriller will be told backward.

Once the image has faded completely to white, the shot then straight cuts to another close up, instead this time it doesn't appear to be a point of view shot as it shows a mans hand placing the polaroid back into the camera. This allows the audience to know that the shot is still in reverse, which again creates many questions for the audience as they will be wandering who this man is and why the shot is shown backwards.

The camera then tilts and the mans face is revealed, however the mystery remains as it still unknown to who he is. Within this shot more questions are added such as why does the man have scratches on his face and why is he taking pictures of what appears to be a crime scene. The music at this point also changes, much like the shot, as previously the music had been melancholy but now it has become eerie and quiet creating a higher sense of mystery. 

A series of straight cut edits then appear which give more insight into what's happened. Firstly, blood is seen moving up a wall followed by a shell casing on a floor. These two shots indicate that someone has been shot and corresponds with the earlier shot of the polaroid image of a bloody floor. A shot of glasses lying on the ground covered in blood is then shown which reinforces that someone has been shot, knocking their glasses off onto the ground. The final shot out of the series of four shows the back of a mans head against a blood covered floor and the three shots before have been a series of indicators to this final 'reveal' that someone is dead. Also, within each of these shots, low-key lighting is used creating a dark and gloomy effect which matches the images being shown on screen.

The use of putting the shot in reverse is still being used when the shots which led to the man being dead on the floor are shown. These include, a man holding a gun, the glasses going onto the 'dead' mans face as he turns around to see the gun being pointed at in. At this moment point, a large rumble sound is heard along with a gun shot and the some of the mystery of the scene is lost however, the audience will still be asking questions about who the man with the gun is.

Analysing the opening sequence of Bourne Identity

Analysing the opening sequence of Bourne Identity

Bourne Identity (2002)

The extract begins with a straight cut edit from black to a storm. The flashes within the storm along with the diegetic thunder sounds create a shocking effect and allow the audience to know that something thrilling is happening and perhaps something dangerous has occurred.

A long shot of a boat in the distance is shown however, the low key lighting makes this difficult to see which creates an ominous effect.

A straight cut edit is then used to show a group of fisherman whilst mysterious string and trumpet music beings to play. The camera is handheld so the shot appears to be "rocking" indicating that they are on the boat. The lighting in the boat is very bright compared to the gloomy darkness outside, this contrast in light adds to the mystery. In the shot the diegetic dialogue of the men indicates that they are foreign speakers which could add to the curiosity of an english speaking audience . 

The next shot shows a body in the sea using a low angle under water shot. The image is dark which adds to the mysterious atmosphere. The shot will also have audiences questioning why there is a body in the water and how it has got there. 

A long shot then shows one of the men leaving the highly lit area of inside the boat and entering the storm. A mid shot then displays the confused and worried expression on the sailors face. This creates tension for the audience and adds to the already present suspense. This shot is shortly followed by a point of view shot which is used to show what the sailor sees. The suspense for the audience lowers slightly as they can see that he has discovered the body however, the tension remains high as they are still unsure of what is happening and what will happen next.

There is then another flash of lighting and the screen turns black. The music, that has been playing quietly in the background, becomes louder and quicker as the title appears. 

The shot then cuts to the sailors on the boat pulling the body out of the water and taking him into the boat where they lay him out onto a table. The transition from the outside to the inside is important to the sequence because the outside is displayed as dark, cold and open compared to the inside which is brightly lit and cramped reflecting warmth and safety. The non-diegetic music is still fast paced and the diegetic dialogue of the men is also louder and quicker. This creates a panic within the scene which is reflected by the hand held camera making the shots unsteady. The music then begins to fade out as the initial panic of trying to rescue the man has settled down. However, the mystery continues as the audience still have questions about who the man is.

Analysing the opening sequence of Fargo

Analysing the opening sequence of Fargo

Fargo (1996) 

Fargo's opening sequence begins with a non-diegetic sound of harp playing softly while this image is shown. 

Right from the beginning, this image will have an impact on the audience. The message indicates that people will die in the film, leaving audiences wandering how and why.

 A fade to white is then used as the harp continues to play. On this plain white screen, black titles begin to appear. The contrast of black on white is quite unconventional for a thriller title sequence as the white creates a brightness unlike the black which can create a dark mysterious tone.

Once the first set of titles have been shown, they fade into the second set. The music changes and a violin is now accompanying the harp. This creates a shift in the genre as to begin with the harp sounded more classical whereas now the two instruments sound more like folk music. 

The titles continue to appear on screen however the plain white background begins to fade out and display objects in the distance through a long shot. For example, a bird can be seen flying across the sky. As the bird is black, it again creates that contrast, however this time the white acts as a fog which enables us from seeing clearly, this adds mystery as we are looking into the "unknown". 

A long take is used and the white "fog" effect remains the same however, two dots slowly begin to appear in the distance. The audience at this point may feel curious to know what the two dots are. As the two dots travel closer it becomes apparent that they are the headlights to a vehicle however, the audience will still have questions such as where the car is going and who's driving. Also, in this shot a large sense of isolation is created through the small dot of the car placed in a vast white landscape of snow. The shot helps display the location of the thriller but also displays the loneliness and how this has a ominous nature to it. 

The vehicle then disappears for a couple of seconds behind a hill and the non-diegetic music stops which builds suspense. This is followed by seven drum beats and then the vehicle emerges. The suspense and mystery then lessen as the audience are able to see that the vehicle is a car as it has driven out of the fog. However, the mystery hasn't gone completely as when the car goes past, the audience are unable to see the drivers face. The music at this point has become more western as it includes a drum beat and bells. The strings have also changed as more of them are being used, reflecting the importance of the shot.

The title in the same style of the other titles then appears on screen in black. However, this time the letters are more spaced out, in the centre and are slightly larger then before. They are also against a plain white background which makes it clear that it is the title of the film. A long shot then displays the car driving along a road however this time it is shown from the side revealing that it is towing another car behind it. After this reveal, more questions are made for audiences. A straight cut edit is then used and a shot of the car driving into the distance is followed by a fade to black.

Once the shot fades to black the non diegetic music beings to fade out also until a shot of a bar appears suddenly on screen with the car driving to a stop accompanied by a loud bell sound. This last shot displays a lot of contrast compared to previous shots. The image is colourful with neon lights and it is dark outside so shadows are being created. Also the way the shot transitioned was different, as previously all of the shots had faded away and into one another however this time it was a sudden straight cut. The contrast adds to the mystery and ambivalence for the audience. 

Analysing the opening sequence of Seven

Analysing the opening sequence of Seven

Seven (1995)

Seven starts with the opening titles displaying a variety of images along with the names of those who are involved in the film. 

The first shot displays a book using a close up. Within the shot the audience sees the pages of a book slowly turning whilst the words "new line cinema presents" in white appear on the screen. The words are coloured white due to the image being dark and involving colours like grey and black. During this shot loud and deep non-diegetic "rumble" sounds are heard and are accompanied by high pitched "screeching" sounds. This contrast in the sounds along with the image sets up a mysterious and edgy atmosphere at the very start of the sequence.

A quick straight cut is used to present next shot which displays a black background with the films producers' name written on it in white. The writing in this shot appears handwritten which links to the book shown in the previous shot. The writing on the screen, however, isn't static and different effects are added to make the writing move. For example, the name is flipped around and appears to be shaking. This jolty effect matches the music playing, which is the same as before using the low and high pitches, and this continues the ominous mood.

This writing on the screen is used throughout the opening sequence and is sometimes shown in front of images and not just a black background. 

For example, in the next shot the writing is accompanied by a drawing of hands. The shot transitions from the last to this one using a fade. It appears as if a section of the previous black screen lights up to display an aerial shot of a drawing. The low key lighting creates shadows and intensifies the enigma. Mystery is also created by the actual image in the sense that the audience may wander who drew the hands and why. This leaves questions that the audience will gain answers to through watching the film.

Low key lighting is used in other shots too. This sustains the sense of mystery throughout the opening sequence. However, not all of the shots include colours like grey, black and white for example this shot includes the colour red. 

In this shot the use of red could be reflective of blood and indicate that this film will include violence and death. However, within the actual shot, it shows pictures being placed into a solution and as the red is dark like that of a dark room for photography, it could be a signifier of that. Again, this will create questions for the audience, such as, who's the photographer and who is producing this book, adding to the mystery. In the bottom half of this shot, however, something different is being shown. An extreme close up of a pen writing in paper is used. This writing in books, drawing pictures and taking photos is a common theme within in the sequence and is even shown in the way the titles are hand written. 

Lots of other extreme close up shots and canted angles are also seen in this extract. The edits between them are often fast paced and this creates a business which could be reflective of the person being shown. It could display their thought process and how it is cluttered and disorganised. 

For example, near the beginning of the extract a shot of him cutting his finger prints off using a razor blade is used. In each shot something slightly different is happening however the camera stays in the same close up position. Between each of the shots the edit is also incredibly quick, reinforcing the business and reflecting the mental instability of the person doing this.

At the end of the sequence the non-diegetic music includes lyrics and the audience can hear "you bring me closer to God" being screamed. Along with the music an extreme close up on a bank note shows someone using scissors to cut the word "God" out. This reflects the lyrics in the music and the fast paced edits of the note being cut correspond to the beat of the music.