Group Film Pitch - "Mask"

This is our group film pitch for a 2 minute thriller opening that we plan to create, all of us combined ideas and came up with a small presentation giving a brief overview of how our film opening will look.

Personal Marking of AS Media Thriller Openings

Top Level 4 (60/60 marks): The Edge

I have decided to grade this film opening at a top level 4 as the material in the film is appropriate towards its suitable target audience, the titles are excellently incorporated into the film. Also the use of  ambient suspenseful background music, clear dialogue and foley give the film a professional look to it. The sound and images relate well to the task and what is going on in the scene, so all visuals and sounds are relevant to each other. 'The Edge' uses brilliant cinematography with a variety of camera shots, angles, effective lighting and the mis-en-scene is relevant to the scene, (agents in suit). The suspenseful fast paced action and low key lighting show this is a thriller. Editing is also very well polished with creative use of shot transitions, colour grading and foley sounds that match the actions in the film opening. Lastly, the film conveys that it is an opening as it leaves the story open ended and therefore can potentially continue on to a full film.
 

Top Level 3: No Hiding Place (47/60)
I have decided to grade this film a top level 3 as the film opening is suitable to the target audience, the titles are well incorporated, although there are not sufficient amounts of titles. The use of foley that fits in well to the scene as well as clear dialogue and the conventional horror ambient background music adds a great effect. The sound and images relate well to the task and what is going on in the scene, so all visuals and sounds are relevant to each other. 'No Hiding Place' has a good level of cinematography with various camera shots and angles, also the use of suspenseful fast paced jump cuts shows it is a horror. The mis-en-scene is pleasant as it shows the opposites of two characters casually in a house with everything being normal and transitioning into the supernatural clown being such a strange disturbing thing. Editing also is excellent as the jump cuts and graphic matches of the clown increase the fear factor that is iconic of a horror. Lastly, the film conveys that it is an opening as it leaves the story open ended and therefore can potentially continue on to a full film.

Top Level 2 - 'RUN' (36/60)
I have decided to grade this film a top level 2 as the film opening is suitable to the target audience. There is in-sufficient credits and titles used. There is use of foley at certain times along with the deep ambient music in the background that is quite suspenseful. Although the characters actions in the film are not really suspenseful, which makes me unsure which genre the film opening is trying to establish. There is a good use of cinematography with various camera shots, but a lack of angles. I am not sure what the mis-en-scene in 'RUN' is communicating, the girl in casual clothes seems to be going out, but there is a lack of specific lighting to show the genre and link in to the suspenseful ambient music in the background. The use of juxtaposition with editing of the pigeons is a good effect and the quick shot transitions add suspense to the film opening. Also the black and white colour grading in a part of the film, to show a flashback is quite creative. Lastly, the film does not convey that it is an opening as 'RUN' cannot lead on to anything with the storyline, there has been nothing significant that has happened and nothing more can be revealed. 

G321 Media Film Openings Mark Scheme

This is the final film opening mark scheme, it is very helpful for me to obtain this information as it helps me know what I am aiming for and how I am going to achieve this. Also I know how many marks are awarded as well as the areas to consider that allow me to gain the top marks for the film opening I am going to create.

Film Opening Problems

Through Pete Fraser's media blog I have been able to see the common problems that occur when students make openings to films for AS media studies. By looking at this information it helps provide me with knowledge on what NOT TO DO when I am going to make my film opening with my group. This is like a guideline on not what to do in which I plan to follow to maximise the best possible result I can achieve through making my film. 

Test Shots

Here is the test shot I did for the actor we have decided to cast as one of the agents in our thriller film. As our target audience is 18 - 30 year olds, we have decided to use an actor that is within this age range as an agent to relate to the target audience as well as for the agent to be a believable and realistic threatening character.