Resource for investigating cinematography in thriller scenes, for the AS Media G321 Research portfolio.

2. RESEARCH TASK 3 - CHANGES
•FOR TASK 3, YOU NEED TO APPLY QUESTIONS TO EXAMPLE SCENES. THE ADVICE IN THE
COURSEWORK GUIDE ON THIS IS OUT OF DATE.
•WE’RE GOING TO MAKE IT SIMPLER. YOU WILL PICK THREE GREAT THRILLER SCENES
AND ANALYSE EACH IN ONE OF THREE TECHNICAL AREAS: CINEMATOGRAPHY, EDITING
AND SOUND.
•THE AIM WILL BE TO EXPLORE THE GENRE CONVENTIONS OF THESE THREE AREAS AND
THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY DEVELOP NARRATIVE.

3. WHAT IS CINEMATOGRAPHY?
•CAMERA ANGLES
•CAMERA MOVEMENTS
•SHOT TYPE
•LIGHTING
•COMPOSITION
•FOCUS TRICKS
•GRAPHIC MATCHES
Keys to success:
• Refer to theory/terminology
• Use supplementary
examples
• Geek out about it!

4. MOVEMENT DISCUSSION EXAMPLES
1.GOODFELLAS – COPACABANA TRACKING SHOT
2.MEAN STREETS – REVERSE POV
3.A TOUCH OF EVIL – CRANE SHOT

5. LIGHTING DISCUSSION EXAMPLES
1.FIGHT CLUB – FIRST FIGHT
2.JURASSIC PARK – T-REX ATTACK

6. BOTH PLUS FOCUS TRICKS
1.CASINO ROYALE – PRE-CREDITS SCENE

7. CHOICE OF EXAMPLES
•YOU HAVE A COUPLE MORE LESSONS YET BEFORE STARTING ON THIS TASK. BY THE TIME
YOU DO, YOU NEED TO HAVE ZEROED IN ON YOUR PRODUCTION GROUPS.
•YOU WILL ALSO HOPEFULLY HAVE DECIDED WHAT SUB-GENRE OF THRILLER YOU WILL
WORK IN (PSYCHOLOGICAL, CRIME AND GANGSTER, MURDER-MYSTERY, HORROR, ETC.)
•MAKE YOUR CHOICES FOR THIS TASK USING KEY TEXTS FROM THAT SUB-GENRE – YOU
WILL NEED TO WATCH THEM THROUGH AND SELECT SCENES THAT DEMONSTRATE
INTERESTING USE OF CINEMATOGRAPHY (ALONG WITH SOUND AND EDITING).