This document discusses techniques for creating a successful thriller that the author learned about and applied in their preliminary task and final thriller opening. These techniques include the 180 degree rule, reaction shots, shot reverse shot technique, and match-on-action shots. The author analyzes how they used techniques like the 180 degree rule and shot reverse shots to build tension without dialogue. While they were unable to explicitly use match-on-action shots, they identify one part of their final cut that relates indirectly to this technique. Overall, the author feels they gained valuable knowledge of techniques that helped improve their thriller opening.
1. Evaluation – Question 7
Through doing the preliminary task I learnt about a number of technique that are essential in
creating a successful thriller. These techniques included the 180 degree rule, this is a technique used
to ensure that the viewer does not become disorientated, it involves drawing a mental line and not
crossing this line. We used this in both our preliminary and our final thriller opening. For example in
our television unknown room we used a number of different reaction shots of the protagonist (This
included close ups of his face and mid shots of his body), to ensure that the viewer did not suffer
confusion we took all these shots from the same side (and had drawn an invisible line that we were
careful not to cross).
This is a reaction shot of the
protagonists eye whilst he is
watching the horrific clips, it is to
show the emotions that he holds
towards the clips. These emotions
remind the viewer that he is still
human and still can be quite
sensitive.
This is a medium/mid shot of the
protagonist watching the television,
when looking at both of these shots
you can see that they have both
been filmed from the same side of
each other. Therefore obeying the
180 degree rule, and avoiding a
certain amount of viewer
disorientation.
In our preliminary task, we also tried to stick
to the 180 degree, this was again to ensure that the viewer did not suffer disorientation. This again
was successful and although the narrative was not very clear on our preliminary task, people did not
become confused due to where the camera was positioned.
This shot was used to get a sense of
the character being watched, this
was achieved through the branches
being in the way of the camera.
2. This shot was an over the shoulder
shot as the character approached
the teddy bear, as you can see from
both these stills, they have been
filmed again from the same side and
therefore have stuck to the 180
degree rule.
The next technique that we learnt about in the preliminary task, and have applied to the final cut of
the thriller opening, is the ‘Shot reverse shot’ technique. This is the idea that in certain types of
sequence (E.g. a conversation, if a conversation was to use the shot reverse shot technique it would
involve there being a shot of one character and then a shot of another character and then another
shot of the first character. This creates the feel that the viewer is in the conversation and allows the
characters reactions and emotions to be shown. We did not use this technique in our preliminary
task or our thriller opening; instead we put our own twist on this technique. Towards the end of our
preliminary task, the tension is at its highest and we wanted to show this therefore we repeatedly
went from a shot of the teddy bear to a shot of the character playing with the teddy bear, this was
conducted extremely quickly and therefore created the fast pace for the climax of the preliminary
task. Below is some stills that show this:
In our final cut of our thriller opening it is a similar story, we had no dialogue and so could not use
this technique unless we put our own twist on it. However we really were keen to use this technique
as we learnt from our preliminary task that it was a great way to build tension. In the end we
managed to use this technique in the television sequence, we showed some of the horrific images
and then a reaction shot of the protagonist, to build the tension as if the protagonist was scared the
viewer should in theory experience this too. This helped to make the clips all logically flow and run
smoothly. Below there is some stills of the ‘Shot, reverse, shot’ technique in play.
3. The last technique I will be talking about in this essay, that I feel I have learnt from throughout the
progression of the project is the match-on-action shot. A match-on- action shot is when two shots
are connected together, in the second shot the character is finishing off the action that they
previously started in the first. This was one technique that we did not use in the preliminary task or
the final cut of our thriller opening. It is unfortunate that we did not use it as I feel that it adds
energy to a scene and makes it a lot less repetitive and therefore would fit into the thriller genre
really well; this is something that I would change if given more time to do this project. However
having looked over the final cut for our thriller I did notice a place that relates to this technique
indirectly. At the point where the protagonist is walking around the hospital looking for answers,
there is a close up of a door handle being opened, which then fades into the protagonist walking in a
corridor, although these two scenes do not necessarily link, they do in a way stick to the rules of the
match-on-action technique. Below is some stills of this ‘hidden technique’ taking place.
All in all I have learnt a lot about different techniques that can be used when making a film/trailer,
that help to make it a success. These techniques have helped our thriller opening in a number of
ways and have enabled our piece to be portrayed in the way it has.