The document provides an analysis of existing heist films including The Dark Knight, Ocean's Eleven, American Heist, and Baby Driver. It examines the cinematography, editing, music, and visual techniques used in key heist sequences from each film. Interviews with the target audience found they want a serious story with comedic elements and action scenes like car chases. Research shows the audience enjoys relatable protagonists and being able to place themselves in the story. The analysis will help inform the production of the author's own heist film by incorporating common tropes and appealing to the interests of the target demographic.

1. Research
William Thirlaway

2. Existing Product – The Dark Knight
In The Dark Knight during the robbery
scene, the Joker puts a grenade in the
mouth of one of the bank workers. During
this the camera changes to show the
Joker from a low camera angle, giving him
the sense of power, and the worker from
a high angle, taking his power away from
him.
The scene uses a large amount of close-
up shots on the men in the masks,
showing them as the main focus of the
scene and demonstrating them as people
to be feared.
The audience want to watch the
sequence because it keeps them hooked
with the tension and asks the question
“Will the succeed?”.

3. Existing Product – Ocean’s Eleven
During the Ocean’s Eleven heist sequence,
lighthearted jazz music is played throughout
which connotes to the audience that the
robbery is easy and the characters feel very
smug about it.
The colours used within the scenes contrast
between a strong orange tint and a cold teal.
This changes depending on weather we’re
looking at the protagonists or the antagonist,
with the protagonists being warm orange and
antagonist teal. These colors are commonly use
in blockbuster films are they are the opposite
end of the color wheel and can represent both
‘warm’ and ‘cold’.
The shots are all very quick, changing from shot
to shot within a second or 2. This keeps the
scene feeling fast paced.

4. Existing Product – American Heist
In the heist/hostage sequence in American Heist,
the story is told largely through visual and musical
storytelling techniques rather than dialogue. In
the beginning of the sequence the music is tense
and fast paced which is matched by the quick
editing and contrasted by the use of slow motion
which helps to amplify how tight the timescale is.
The coloring in the sequence is dark and uses
primarily blues and teals in the imagery. This is to
give the frame a cold, businesslike feel, and
implies that there are little emotions involved and
that the heist will run like a machine.
Later on in the scene when the police show up
the stakes were raised by the characters holding
hostages in the bank. This is represented visually
by adding in rain to the scene which connotes
sadness and loss, and depicts the characters
losing control of the situation.

5. Existing Product – Baby Driver
In the opening sequence to Baby Driver the scene follows
the driver throughout the scene. This shows immediately
without any dialogue that he is our main character that
we are to root for throughout the rest of the movie.
Because it is shot from the driver’s perspective the heist
is shown from a distance and the main focus is on the
police chase afterwards.
The music is shown playing on an iPod which the driver
has on with earphones, implying that the music we are
hearing is coming from the iPod and further
strengthening that we are following this character. The
song used (Bellbottoms by The Jon Spencer Blues
Explosion) is a high tempo and a positive sounding blues
rock song which helps make the scene feel fast paced but
also gives a positive attitude to the audience, connoting
that the driver isn’t worried and confident that they will
succeed.
The sequence uses a lot of quick editing, with shots only
lasting a second or two, and a large variety of different
shots, from close up to long range, but always following
the car the entire time.

6. Research Analysis
• What common features do the researched products
have?
– All of the products have the use of masks to hide the
character’s identities
– All robbers having guns in order to use them to threaten
people during the heist is something which is used in all
except Ocean’s Eleven where they don’t need to use their
guns.
• What aspects of the research will you include within
your own production work?
– I will use both of these features in my film as these are
staple features of the heist genre that audiences have
come to expect.

7. Questionnaire Analysis

8. Audience research
• Observation:
The majority of the people who filled in my questionnaire were male.
• What this says about my audience:
They like more action packed, and violent films.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
As a heist film, my product will contain a lot of action and violence as the
nature of the story requires it in order to be exciting.

9. Audience research
• Observation:
My main protagonist is a teenage male and the majority of my audience are 16 – 24.
• What this says about my audience:
They will be able to relate to my character because they will easily be able to place
themselves in his situation and circumstances.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
It will appeal to my audience because being able to relate to the main character will
help them support him in his actions and root for him throughout the film.

10. Audience research
• Observation:
In my questionnaire people said they wanted to see a serious story.
• What this says about my audience:
This tells me that my audience are mature and are able to appreciate a serious topic and story.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
My product will appeal to my audience as I will be doing a dramatised take on the heist genre with a
very serious plot aimed at a 15+ rating.

11. Audience research
• Observation:
My audience is predominantly teenagers and young
adults (16 – 24).
• What this says about my audience:
They will be knowledgeable about technology
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
My main protagonist is going to be a hacker which
means he will be using technology to complete the
heist instead of brute force.

12. Audience research
• Observation:
The majority of my audience would rather see the film be set in the UK rather than the US.
• What this says about my audience:
This tells me that the majority of my audience is from the UK and therefore I should target this
demographic.
• How will your product appeal to this audience:
My product would appeal to this audience because my film will be set in the UK and will rely a little on
the audience knowing British slang and phrases.

13. Interviews

14. Interview 1
• In a heist film, would you prefer the tone to be
serious or comical and why?
I would expect it to be quite serious with some comical moments added in, mainly
serious though because of what generally ends up happening with a heist.
• What would you expect the protagonist of a
heist film to be like?
Good at what he does, can be quite comical, good leader
• What things would you typically expect from a
heist film?
Guns, Violence, Chase Scenes

15. Interview 1
• Observation:
The audience enjoys comedy and comedic elements.
• What this says about my audience:
The audience is looking for enjoyable escapism via comedy and
although they would like the film to be exciting and serious, they
want an element of comedy.
• How will your product appeal to this
audience:
My product will appeal to this audience because although I
intend to keep it mostly serious with guns and violence, it will
also contain moments of comedy to contrast the seriousness and
make the darker moments more impactful.

16. Interview 2
• In a heist film, would you prefer the tone to
be serious or comical and why?
I personally like both elements added because the change over from a
serious moment with a drastic change to comedy for me works really well.
• What would you expect the protagonist of a
heist film to be like?
For he or she to be a professional and is very talented and what they do.
• What things would you typically expect from
a heist film?
To have some kind of item that has been stolen and a massive action packed
car chase.

17. Interview 2
• Observation:
The audience would like to see a high paced car chase.
• What this says about my audience:
The audience wants something action packed and intense,
which is fast paced and has high stakes.
• How will your product appeal to this
audience:
My product will appeal to my audience because I intend on
adding some past paced gun fights and potentially a car
chase (If possible, however, it is unlikely I will be able to
achieve this).

18. Bibliography

19. Bibliography
1. Thirlaway, W(2018) Target Audience Research Survey (conducted on 13th
April 2018)
2. Battams,T. (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on DATE)
3. Batty, Tom. (2018) Target Audience Interviews (conducted on 13.4.18)
4. Nolan, C. (2008) The Dark Knight
5. Soderbergh, S. (2001) Ocean’s Eleven
6. Andreasyan, S. (2014) American Heist
7. Wright E. (2017) Baby Driver