Story outline

Masking identities is a psychological thriller about a teenage girl called Faith who socialises online and comes across a 'teenage boy' called Carl who she gets talking to, they get pretty close and start sharing personal information between each other becoming something some would call an 'online relationship'. As they get closer they begin making plans to meet up. They eventually meet up but giving Faith a serious surprise and she realises 'Carl' was nothing like what he made himself out to be. After realising the real him, Faith starts to distance herself from him, while he's already deeply in love with her and develops a very obsessive nature, with ghastly consequences.

Opening sequence of Se7en

Se7en is a psychological and crime thriller. This is clear through its effective opening sequence with its use of micro elements such as editing, sound, miss-en scene and cinematography. The clip starts off with a close up shallow focus shot of a book opening pages with typography. The use of the typography creates a sense of mystery as the font is quite formal but at the same time sharp, and the colour used is white. This creates a ghostly effect.

It then cuts to a black background with the use of white, spooky typography creating a sense of evil and the juxtaposition of the two colours create a fierce, sharp look. Foreshadowing evil events to happen later on in the film.

Further in the opening sequence there is a close up of someones hands with some kind of sharp object scraping off what looks like dead skin. The use of props here such as the sharp object creates enigma codes for the audience as we start to wonder what this film is actually about and why the person is doing that to them self. This messes with our minds which is conventional for a psychological thriller. Throughout the opening sequence the use of non-diagetic sound creates a ominous feeling. The music changes from high to low pitched through out the sequence. It gets the audience intrigued as it makes us feel we're waiting for something bad to happen or a cheap surprise to occur. 

The sequence then continues with the use of black backgrounds and white typography, building up tension for the audience. The use of miss-en scene in this clip such as the books, the pens, the sharp objects are very effective as they are something you would expect to see in a crime/psychological thriller. The use of editing is very significant in this clip. For example the use of the colour red conveys death and evil indicating that the film is to do with crimes and murders.

This extreme close up shows us someone putting something together. This suggests that throughout the film there are things to put together and work out. Which relates to a crime thriller as in crimes there are always clues to put together to solve the crime. I think the Se7en opening sequence is the most effective opening sequence i've come across because of its well used micro elements.

Target audience profile

Our film has a target audience of 25-40+ year old parents, male and female with a mixed ethnicity as the main character in this film is mixed. The reason we have made our target audience parents is that the narrative is based on a young female getting tricked over the internet. So we want parents to take into consideration that something like this could happen to their own children so its almost so a warning. It is targeting at male and female parents, who tend to watch thrillers of any sub genre whether thats medical, psychological etc but also watch other genres of films such as horrors and documentaries.

Our film also has a secondary audience being teenagers from the age of 15 to 19. This is because the main character who is the victim in our film is in her teenage years allowing the secondary audience to relate to the character. Mostly targeted at teenage girls who like to go on social networking sites and are constantly socialising over the internet. Once again with a mixed ethnicity, who watch various types of films. from comedies to thrillers to horrors. People that enjoy tense situations and shocks in films.

Opening sequence of The Woman In Black

The woman in black is a supernatural thriller with an effectual opening sequence due to the use of the micro elements such as cinematography, editing, sound and mise-en scene.

The sequence starts with a close up shot of 2 mini cups and a tea pot which a girl is pretending to pour some kind of drink into the cups to give to her dolls. There are 3 girls all having a pretend tea party with there dolls. In the middle of their tea party they all look around the room. The camera goes to a long shot of all 3 of the girls sitting on the floor looking towards the camera as if they have seen something horrifying. This suggests the girls are scared which conforms to a thriller as it creates enigma codes, as the audience want to know what the girls have seen and start questioning themselves.

Throughout this sequence there is slow, spooky music playing in the background. the use of this non diagetic sound creates a sense of disturbance and makes us feel something isn't right or that something bad is going to take place creating suspense. non diagetic sound is very important in thrillers as it is a way to get the audience frightened. 

The use of the match on action when the girls all look at the window before getting up creates theatre of the mind as the audience don't actually know what the girls have seen or are seeing so we start to imagine what could be happening. Theatre of the mind is a very important thriller convention. As the girls get up we can see through their performance that they are frightened as one of the girls holding a cup drops it as she stands up, letting it smash to the ground. they all ignore this and carry on walking towards the window. This suggests the girls are nervous.

As the girls are walking to the window they all walk in sink in slow pace building up tension for the audience. The camera then gets the girls in a long shot all standing by the windows  The girls then open the windows and all jump out at the same time leaving the audience confused as to what just happened. This is very typical of a thriller as thrillers like to leave their audience in suspense  

Opening sequence of The Sixth Sense

 The Sixth Sense is an example of a psychological thriller, with a very effective opening sequence with conventions of a psychological thriller. The reason the opening sequence is so effective is because of the use of the micro elements such as cinematography, mise-en scene, editing and sound. 

The sixth sense opening sequence starts off with the use of editing such as typography. The titles in the opening credits of this film suggest that the film has a uncertain storyline, as the credits fade in very slowly. The colours used for the typography are black and white which are very notable colours and almost gives a 'ghostly' effect. As the credits appear on the screen a non-diagetic, slow, mysterious piece of music starts to play. The music gets higher pitched each time a new name appears in the credits but will get lower pitched each time a name fades out. The music represents a creepy nature foreshadowing creepy events yet to take place throughout the film. When the title "The Sixth Sense" shows, the music gets quicker and starts to sound much more sharp, the title is then repeated. this could suggest a double meaning throughout the film maybe.

At the beginning of the opening sequence it starts off with the use of cinematography. A close up of a light bulb. this close up shot shows hardly any background and focus only on the light bulb. the light bulb slowly lights up. This could foreshadow a specific characters qualities. the fact that there is only one light bulb could also suggest that one individual may be able to see things that no body else can see. the use of the low key lighting in the background could suggest mystery. the use of the slow pace movement of the light gradually getting lighter automatically tells us that this film is a thriller as it makes the audience feel uncomfortable and creates a tensed atmosphere.

As the opening sequence goes on it comes to a two shot of Bruce Willis and his wife. It is a shot with low key lighting which is a key convention is a thriller film as it creates a mysterious atmosphere.This shot also gives us some information on the characters costume and performance. for example the male is wearing a shirt with the buttons done up showing he has come home from work. the woman is wearing a casual dress. this gives us an insight into what kind of people they are by what they are wearing. The performance of  the couple show us that they are scared and something bad has or is about to happen. this kind of performance is a main convention of a thriller. While the woman stays back the man steps forward to see what is going on. this is stereotypical of a masculine male as he looks after the woman and feels more superior. When the woman looks out the window there is a close up of the trees outside showing us the area is isolated. this gives the audience a sense of being trapped in a house with no escape which conforms to a thriller film. Lastly the match on action of when the woman screams as she sees a shadow connotes a sense of fear.

Past students work

FIREWALL - http://www.youtube.com/watchv=UP5ZBp4Pxr0&list=PL426C4E4F7D73EE3A&index=17&safe=active

Firewall is a technological thriller. this is shown through the micro elements first of all through cinematography. The close up and tilt of wires at the beginning of the clip connotes technology. it then goes on to a extreme close up of someone typing on a keyboard this shows us that the film is to do with technology as they are introducing objects such as computers, keyboards and wires. Another micro element used to show us that this is a technological thriller is sound. the non diegetic sound is modern electronic music connoting technology. The use of mise-en scene in this clip helps us a lot to see that this film is a technological thriller starting with the use of props such as the computers and wires. this conforms to a typical technological thriller. the use of low key lighting at the beginning makes us think that whats going on shouldn't be seen by others and is happening in secret. the use of costume in this clip such as the suit, the office, the flag and the files suggests that the film is also a conspiracy as the man at the beginning of this clip is presented as a government official. The use of the flags show us that it is international. the last micro element used is editing. the use of formal typography at the beginning fades in and out which relates to a conspiracy as it gives a serious, formal impression. The cross fading from the typing to the wire shows us this film is going to be to do with technology. the juxtaposition of these images  reflects the themes of this film.

PATHOGEN - http://www.youtube.com/watchv=E7A0FUvzM4&list=PL426C4E4F7D73EE3A&index=5&safe=active

Pathogen is a Medical thriller. this is shown through the micro elements. first of all through cinematography. there is a lot of panning at the beginning introducing us to the locations allowing us to see a lot of dead bodies. this makes it clear to us that it is a medical thriller as a lot of people have died. also the close up of the sign that says "mask up" suggests theres some sort of virus or medical condition that everyone has to protect themselves from catching. the use of non diagetic sound suggests disturbance and that something is wrong as the music is spooky. The use of mise-en scene in this clip such as the setting which is a hospital suggests the film is medical as a hospital is conventional for a medical thriller. Lastly editing is used a lot in this clip. they have used a lot of special effects to create a spooky, medical theme for example the kind of effects used are images such as blood splattering and red blood cells. this suggests illness and death.

REFLECTION- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LKBaxc1Tsw&safe=active

Reflection is a crime thriller. this is clear through the micro elements. starting with cinematography, the close up at the beginning of the mans face when he walks into the house and closes the door we see his facial expression which shows us his real intensions and suggests something bad is going to take place. another micro element used is sound. the diagetic dialogue in this clip when the man is talking about having to check out the house suggests straight away that something dodgy was going on as he was very demanding and basically pushed himself into the house. also the non diagetic, eery, slow sound foreshadows a dark, evil situation happening later on in the film. The mise-en scene was used well in this clip. for example the costume. the man was wearing a police uniform with black gloves this shows us the film is to do with some sort of crime. the performance of the woman suggests something isn't right as she seems intimidated and scared whereas the man is confident yet suspicious. Also the setting is in a house where a crime is likely to take place as there is no one around to witness anything, this relates to a crime thriller. Lastly the use of editing such as the slow pace builds up tension suggesting something bad is going to happen. also the eyeline match of the man looking at the phone shows us that he is going to take it which creates enigma codes.