Shoot Day

8:50 AM

Our group met in our usual classroom to get everything we needed that was not in the Studio already. We gathered the boots that Katie had brought and I suggested to print out two copies of both the script and the storyboard in case we needed them.

9:20 AM

We got into the studio with everything arranged. We saw the final set and greeted some of our actors who had already arrived. Louisa had to take a look at the script so I provided her with one of the copies. We decided where our hand made props, passports and tickets were going to be located in the room and Katie made the bed —an important detail—. 

While Myles went to the French classrooms to look for Andrey, the only actor who was missing from the cast, I proceeded to  refresh Luke's memory and explain him the choreography and the correlation between the character's speech and their action. I moved around the set and demonstrated him in detail how everything was thought to be carried out.

9:40 AM

Our main actors, Callum and Louisa, started warming up and practicing their lines in a relaxed way while our group set the camera and started deciding what we wanted to include in the frame and what we didn't. Everyone got into their costumes and took positions. Ellis was in charge of the sound, while Emma was holding a white light just behind the bed, on the right hand side of the camera, so that Louisa could be seen better while she was hiding under. Myles went behind the set and so did Andrey and Said, waiting for our instructions on timing. Paul turned out the Studio lights and we finally got to see the actual lightning of the sequence, It was dim but not too dark, with pink and yellow lights coming out from the windows.  The whole scene looked far more compelling.

9:55

We started running over the scene to get into grips with it, without filming yet. Callum and Louisa seemed to work well together, which was such a relief. At first, they sticked too much to the script, but we told them to get off it and be more natural. By that time, Luke had assigned me the post of director and I was more than happy to accept it after all the previous work I had done to make the shoot day possible. I told the actors what they could improve and controlled the timing, as well as their way of moving and behaviour.

We encountered some problems with the Russians because they rushed into the room when it was their turn to appear and they had to wait twice as much as they did, but Myles and I eventually sorted it out. Some corrections had to be made regarding the use of espace and position of props.

10:45 AM

After running the scene for about ten times, we had to give the actors and ourselves a good rest of twenty minutes to unwind and come back to the Studio with renewed energy.

11:05 AM

We did one last general rehearsal and then started recording. We still had to solve the problem of Callum's death and the fake blood effect. However, Luke called Henry to make sure we could do that afterwards during the editing process, and he said there wouldn't be any problems at all with a pack that he had downloaded. To add some realism to go with the effect, we got hold of some fake blood and placed it in a bowl next to Louisa's under the bed position. She had to take some with her right hand and put some drops in her face so that when Callum collapsed, she reacted by turning and we could see that he had splashed her in the mean time. 

This idea made the process longer because, each time there was a conflict —the cables of the Studio could be seen behind the door, Callum fell in an artificial way and didn't seem dead, one of the actors forgot their lines...), Louisa had to clean her hands and face from a substance that was quite difficult to remove.

The screenplay, by that point, had become merely an inspiration and that made the sequence much better. We added details like the extremists in the end checking the passports around the room and discovering that there were two instead of one, which made them aware of the fact that there was probably someone under the bed.

In the end, we came up with some beautiful takes and the last one is bound to work perfectly with some colour grading and sound effects.

12:45 AM

By this time, we were done filming. We told Callum and Louisa that we didn't require them any longer and thanked them for being so collaborative and quick at obeying instructions and suggesting better ways of doing certain things. There was a break for lunch that everyone deserved. 

2:30 PM

There was a meeting in the Studio again, this time only with the Russians, because we wanted to get extra sounds on the spot to include them in the background in the parts of the sequence when the couple is still hiding without knowing what's going to happen and also to add some pleonastic sounds from time to time.

3:00 PM

We went up to Hurtwood to get some ambiance noise from the corridors, the toilets and furniture moving. It was difficult because, almost everywhere, there was someone having a conversation in their room or music playing. Luke joined us from time to time and helped us use the microphone to capture the sounds better and shut the ones that were ruining the filming as much as possible. We didn't get all the effects that we intended to, but Luke told us to wait until we had everything cut and edited to see if we were actually missing anything that couldn't be arranged with a program.

3:30 PM

Everything was finally done. We cleared up our costumes and props from the Studio and asked Paul if he needed any additional help. I felt and still feel utterly satisfied with how the thriller sequence looks like at the moment thanks to our effort and creativity. I would like to thank Luke especially because of all his professional support.

Make-up

In one point of our sequence, the male protagonist —David— gets shot in the head by the extremists. This means that we need a make-up artist with enough practice to render the impression of a real, fresh wound made by a gun. Laura Smith is the first name that has come to mind. She is well-known all around Hurtwood for her mastery of make-up, not so much for beauty purposes but actually for theatre and film. To make sure that she was the right person, Myles took a look on her Instagram, and we were certain that we needed her after a few seconds of looking at examples like the one on the right.           Our actor, Callum, would need to get a bullet wound in his forehead towards the end of the sequence. This causes a problem, because we intend to show his face in the beginning when he's searching for clean socks inside of a suitcase which appears in the frame. We would need to make a subtle cut somewhere in order to add the make-up for the last bit of the scene. I have thought of a different option: shooting the sequence both with and without make-up on and edit it afterwards. We will ask for guidance soon concerning this aspect.                                                    Anyway, Myles has sent Laura an email. We are aware of the fact that she is going to be wanted by many people like us, but we still hope that she has time to help us in the shoot day.

Location and Set Design

After having considered boaring houses such as Ewhurst, which has convincing rooms, or Cornhill, which used to be a hotel, the preferred location for our sequence is the Studio, an option recommended by Matt. He said that it would be perfectly feasable to recreate a hostel room with some parquet flooring that is available and some wooden strips to assemble the bed. The cupboard and chair are easy to find around, and the rest is a matter of creativity. The walls and door could also be constructed on set as it has already been done for previous works. 

To have the room —our only setting— more clear in our minds and, most importantly, to make it evident also for the people who can actually turn it into reality in the school, I drew the space with all the pertinent details and included some descriptions.

Talking to Luke

Luke and Matt have come to class to check the estate of our ideas and what is needed from them, thinking ahead about the day of the shoot after Christmas. We did an outline of the story line once more, making sure that Luke, who has never heard of us before, was aware of the technical part. As a group, we also tried to sell the idea so they would find it easier to collaborate and put more effort into it as organisers. 

In the beginning, they were a bit unsure about the attractiveness of having only one continuous shot, though they also saw its creative appeal. They suggested that we did some panning around the room from time to time. However, eventually they asked for some graphic support and I provided them with my works, this is, my setting design and what I have from the storyboard so far. Their response made me feel extremely proud because they immediately changed their mind about our project and started truly liking it: apparently, they could now picture it perfectly thanks to me. 

Once we had convinced them, we showed them a list of the details we need for a realistic setting. They have everything that we've thought about in the Studio already, except for a cupboard. Nevertheless, Katie heard that we were having trouble with that detail and went out to ask Mike and Adam, an action after which everything is sorted. We should be almost ready to shoot by now.

Storyboard

After so much time and effort, I have finished our storyboard. It was tricky to do it because most of our sequence is going to be filmed continuously, so there weren't any real changes in angle or major movements. However, I think that I did a clear account of everything that we want to show and how we want to show it overall. I have tried to include many details of the set design, as well as the most relevant actors' changes of position. The storyboard also made me reflect on issues like lighting; Luke maintains that we should have a window somewhere in the set to give more clues to the audience about where is the action taking place. The glowy reflection of the snow in the parquet flooring would certainly be effective.

I am certainly satisfied with the work I have done, especially because I haven't had any actual help and it was my first complete storyboard to plan and illustrate. See it for yourselves! 

Elena, Ellis, Myles and Emma Storyboard from Katie Emily

Pitching to Matt. Feedback & changes

After having decided on most aspects of our opening sequence, we were recommended to talk to Matt, as he is the person who has the last word in the issue, at this stage of the process. As our idea had already been approved by Mike, it was easy to explain it with accuracy and efficiency after the slight improvements that we had implemented. We even put together a Power Point to point out more clearly the plot, the props and costumes that we require and the ideal cast, among other details. However, Matt wanted to hear the idea directly from us, so we constructed a quick synopsis making sure that we included everything. 

Initially, he thought it was a good idea but had some objections. He explained that it was not advisable to place our characters in a thriller involving a major crime like drugs, as we suggested as one of the reasons why they were being chased as a couple. He also clarified that it would be quite difficult to show a convincing hotel room to the audience because of our lack of resources and budget. Likewise, we were reminded that most twin beds in expensive hotels do not have a gap under them so the credibility would be doubtful. 

At that point, we were discouraged and thought that we would have to think of complicated alternatives. Nonetheless, Matt came up himself with a perfect variation of what we had been developing throughout the last weeks. He proposed that we could set the story in a location with extreme weather like Siberia, in a backpackers' sort of hostel with grungy facilities. The protagonists could conform to that stereotype as well and be young globe-trotters and film makers that had recorded something on tape that they shouldn't. This would be shown thanks to the dialogue; the enemies, presumably from the Russian government or a private organisation, consistently ask for the tape, and the girl hides it with her under the bed following her partner's order. 

If we used this alternative, the scene could perfectly be filmed in the Studio and the story would be more engaging. Moreover, we would not have to worry as much as before about the appearence of the backpackers as they would not have to look especially old for the roles. We have been thinking of casting Charlie Ridgeway and Louisa Binder as the definite couple, so we will be making them aware of this fact before the end of the week. Their assassins/kidnappers are going to be Russian actors, so we would have more plausibility and we would place the thriller in a more international context, probably involving a complex spy story in a worldwide scale later on.

Ideas for an Opening Thriller Sequence

I've been brainstorming... Here's the result!

Ideas for an opening sequence from elenae81

What is a Thriller?

A thriller is a broad genre of literature, film and television. It is defined by the mood which it immerses the audience into, generally excitement, anticipation and even anxiety. The plot usually revolves around a climax, which is the most important element of this type of media text. Literary devices are utilised as resources to build up the feeling of suspense the film needs to be successful. Some examples are red herrings, cliffhangers and plot twists, to contribute to the unexpected nature of the genre. However, it is important not to get too carried away with the unpredictability of the storyline because, most of the tims, it is advisable to be accessible for the regular audience. One of the most attractive characteristics of a thriller is having the opportunity to try and guess what will happen in the end, so there needs to be a clear logic behind the actions that we see in the screen. 

The main axis of a film like this is mostly always determined by the relationship protagonist-antagonist. The danger that the main character faces is over exaggerated to add to the tension. For instance, an atmosphere of menace and sudden violence is prevailing. Hitchcock's films often include an innocent victim or even just an average person into an unusual situation, probably for us to get more involved in the story and sympathise with them. The element of time is also very handy, as well as the inclusion of personal problems or doubts along the way, sometimes clashing with the overall objective of the protagonist. It is another technique to give more truthfulness to the characters and to make us stressed by the perspective of not seeing the problem solved by the end of the movie. Though I haven't mentioned it yet, thrillers often have happy endings as a contrast with all the amount of tension we were exposed to during the rest of the thriller.

I found some advice I could probably apply to the future opening scene I am going to do. 

Any aspiring artist should make sure that they:

• feed in necessary information about the characters or their world by dribs and drabs well before a suspenseful moment arrives --  and when it does, keep information to a minimum. Suspense stumbles beneath the weight of exposition. 

• use foreshadowing to signal uneasy possibilities. Sometimes, you know that it’s dangerous to try, but you can’t help but do it anyway or I felt a chill, as if someone had walked over my grave.   In the classic courtroom thriller The Anatomy of a Murder, the writer Robert Traver several times describes features of the landscape with phrases like as treacherous as a spurned woman; this raises in readers’ minds the unsettling idea that the alleged victim whose rape was provocation for a murder could be lying. 

• introduce will he/ won’t he situations: will the boy from the Indian slums be able to answer the quizmaster’s question, or will he fail? The more impressive the obstacles ranged against success – the slumdog’s lack of education, the quizmaster’s hostility, the covert threats – the more thrilling is the suspense. 

• sprinkle a hint, for readers to pick up, of danger ahead (the shadow at the window, the unlocked door, the blinking answering machine) while your character, who is luxuriating in the bath, or playing video games,  remains oblivious. Alfred Hitchcock made expert use of this ‘Hitchcock effect’ in his films; equally in novels, scenes where readers are aware of an imminent threat that a character has overlooked are the ones that have us screaming: Stop, Stanley, stop!!!! Don’t drink from that open bottle! Don’t go into that dark alley! Don’t …!!!

• set up two courses of action, where the neglect of either could have dire consequences; then force your character to choose between them. Should she rush to collect her child from pre-school, or make a dash to intercept a killer? Should the detective save his partner from imminent death, even though the resulting exposure could land himself back in prison, or should he get the hell out of there? Lose-lose choices plunge readers into an agony of uncertainty. Result? Rocketing suspense. 

• at the same time, don’t overdo it. Recognize that suspense depends upon fluctuation in mood. It relies for its impact on contrast with more everyday moments that precede it. There’s nothing less exciting than non-stop excitement, says Guy Saville, author of The Africa Reich, and he’s right. 

For the whole article, go here.

After this introduction of the gender and its effectiveness, we should break it into sub-genres to explain it in more detail. The main ones are:

Action Thriller

Its means of creating suspense is through physical action and continuos motion, with lots of scenes which contribute to the sense of danger I previously talked about. 

Some examples are "Die Hard", "Kill Bill Vol. 1" and "The Bourne Identity".

Crime Thriller

It is full of suspenseful aspects and the plot usually focuses on a murder, robbery or manhunt. Both action and psychological aspects build the tension. 

Some examples are "The Usual Suspects", "The Fugitive" and "Jagged Edge".

Film Noir

Some would not consider this a sub-genre, but it is regarded as one in many sites. It is basically a stylistic type of crime mixed with drama that flourished throughout the 40s and 50s. It often relies on a narrative voice and the use of flashbacks to explain the plot, which tends to be intricate. 

Good examples would be "Sunset Boulevard", "The Maltese Falcon" and "Sweet Smell of Success".

Psychological Thriller

In this sub-genre, the suspense comes from the mind, rather than from a physical origin. The protagonists often have to rely on their mental resources to solve the complications they encounter. Some of them almost mix up with the horror genre.

"Memento", "Rear Window" and "Taxi Driver" are psychological thrillers.

Science Fiction Thriller

It incorporates hypothetical, science-based themes into the plot, placing the characters in a utopia or, most likely, ina dystopia. Advanced technology and unknown places are important here, an contribute to the effectiveness already caused by themes like alien invasions or contagious diseases.

Some examples are "Alien", "Inception" and "Distric 9".

After explaining all this information, I hope that everyone gets the idea as well as I have understood it. Now it's just a matter of creativity to come up with ideas for the actual sequence! Wish me luck.