The document summarizes a pitch presentation for an opening sequence to a romantic thriller film. It describes the opening scene showing a house with signs of murder. It establishes the main character as a wife who kills her son after her husband's death and claims someone else did it, but it's revealed her husband is actually still alive. It identifies the romantic thriller genre and conventions like tension music and quick cuts that will be used. It describes the sole character shown as a stereotypical mom to not reveal she is bipolar. It summarizes the audience survey which informed the project and the visual style including costume, lighting, and camera shots to create mystery and tension.

1. Pitch Presentation
Pixel Productions
By Harry, Sabrina, Charlotte and
Tom

2. Opening Sequence - Synopsis
For our final opening sequence idea, we chose to go with a simple yet captivating opening.
It starts with an establishing shot of a house that is in a suburban area, proceeding to
show a door that is slightly ajar. Then there are different shots that take the audience
through a family house with blood stains and broken pictures scattered round the scene.
After establishing the setting which is a murder scene, it will then show a lady in tears
waiting outside for the police to come. We will use a very low saturated filter to cause a
higher sense of mystery and tension for the audience to experience. Although the colours
will be bland, we will try to emphasize the colour red to give a strong sense of murder and
danger in the scene.
A wife who kills her young son after the death of her husband who was at war in Iraq. The
loss of her husband caused her to be in depression. She is trying to claim that a man who
she was cheating on her husband with was the murderer. The twist at the end is that the
husband is not dead and she gets murdered by the husband after finding out that the child
has been killed. We chose this idea because it links to our genres, conventions and
themes. It also has a sense of mystery within the opening sequence.

3. Key genre - Romantic Thriller
We have chosen a romantic thriller because our audience research results have concluded
a hybrid between Thriller and Romantic comedy. This is what we wanted to find from our
audience survey, this is because within a romantic thriller movie or opening sequence it
usually consists of a couple in love or in marriage, fighting and arguing which then turns
into a mystery and ends with a cliff-hanger. However usually within a thriller movie it
usually consists of the protagonist fighting against the antagonist during a chain of bad
events. The aim of the protagonist is to restore justice, whilst the antagonist is there to
destroy it. The Protagonist is usually a strong male who is there to seek out how to restore
peace. On the other hand the antagonist usually beholds a hidden identity which is later
revealed in the plot.

4. Key conventions
Tension Music-Music and sound is essential in thriller movies to help create tension for the
audience to experience a sense of danger, it helps building up a climax when a scary scene is about to
happen. The most common sounds used in a thriller are slow and eerie music pieces which cause
tension.
Changes within angle in a shot- Changes within angle shots would be used within our opening
sequence this is because it conveys how we want the audience to see that within thriller movies not
everything is done smoothly, by having different angle shots it will get them thinking of what this
opening sequence could be about.
Black and White shots/Shadows -Mise en Scene is used in a variety of ways in a thriller movie.
Firstly, black and white scenes and shots are mainly used; this is to strengthen these shadows to create
a sense of suspicion. However costume and make up are used in a naturalistic way to make the
opening sequence more believable and realistic.
Low key lighting- Low key lighting is used to create shadows, to build up tension within different
parts of the opening sequence, this will leave keep the audience paying more attention to what would
be happening therefore making it seem very mystery-esque.
Quick Cuts - Quick cuts are also mainly been used within thriller films this is due to causing tension
for the audience and leaving them with no sense of idea to what could be happening within those
scenes.

5. Character – Narrative/Character
or both?
Only one character will be shown in the opening sequence, and we will not reveal much
about her. We will represent her as the stereotypical Mum, we will not reveal that she is
bipolar or ‘psychotic’, yet we will imply it through the use of sound and Mis-En-Scene.
Although her appearance will be stereotypical, her mental state of mind will be counter-
typical, she will not be a kind character that the audience will particularly like or warm
too.

6. Audience
The majority of people who answered were females between the age of 17 and 27. Most people
wanted to see Horror and Romance, however we have gone with the Romantic Thriller Genre.
Meaning we should aim our romantic thriller towards teens and young adults. Most people
related to “not having plans on a Saturday night” as the situation they are most likely to
experience. The results show that people do not mind about seeing a particular gender for the
main character, furthermore 55% of people do not mind seeing a stereotypical or counter
typical character. The opening sequence is preferred to be both narrative and character. The use
of mystery-esque music and sounds help to build the tension of the opening sequence. People
wanted to see it set in an urban/suburban area, which is good as we live in London allowing us
to film and shoot our opening sequence in a diverse and varied set of locations. We were
surprised at how popular the choice for ‘Romance’ and ‘Horror’ was, however, we are pleased
with the results that are through. This has influenced our production because rather than doing
a Romantic or Horror film, we decided to use ‘Thriller’ and mix that with ‘Romantic’ to create an
interesting and clever genre. We chose ‘Romantic Thriller’ as a genre because it is interesting
and the openings are often simplistic yet effective.

7. Visual Style - Mis-en-scene
Costume- black skinny jeans, navy baggy jumper and bare foot.
Make up- natural and smudged mascara to show she has been crying and thinking about
the
past.
Lighting- natural, sunlight coming through the house. These will be used to show a sense
of
daylight thriller and make the audience feel uneasy to what could be happening.
Setting/Location- Harry’s house, to show how she is feeling lost and depressed
therefore
she is hurt and needs to stay home to put herself in the right mind set.
Props- Army picture frame and fake blood, to show a sense of tension to why this has
happened and what could be happening next, therefore giving the audience a sense of
eeriness
about the situation and what the character could be doing.

8. Visual Style - Camera Shots
Close-up- To establish that the murder took place in a family household, this will give the audience a
sense of idea to what would have happen, or either leave them clueless. As well as a close-up shot to
establish what state the character is in, and to show her emotions.
Dolly zooms and Steadicam- To create a sense of eeriness, towards the audience, as well as a
zoomed in face of the character to show her what state she is in and to create a sense of tension by
making the camera still by highlighting towards the audience to what is happening.
Hand-held camera- Showing the ladies face towards the audience by reflecting her emotions and
feelings and to why she is in this state.
Shallow focus- To draw attention to things that indicate murder and emphasise that it is in a family
household and to give clues about the plot of the opening sequence.
Canted angle shot- To show the twisted mindset of the main character, showing depression and an
almost bipolar mind-state. This will put the audience in her shoes and her perspective of what she
could be imagining as well as thinking.
Tracking shot- Within the opening sequence it will show the audience a house where fake blood is
all over the floor, an army picture frame hanged on the wall and a child’s hand sticking out. This will
be used to give the audience a sense of the story however confuse them to why this house is in this
state and what could have happened to make it in to this state. However we are giving them a taste to
what the story is about.

9. Visual Style - Editing
Slow motion- This will be used to give a stronger sense of mystery and eeriness. We will add a dark
and washed out filter that emphasizes the colour red to create a bloody looking atmosphere.
Fade/Dissolve fade- As well as a fade in between scenes to slowly cause tension and make the
audience feel a sense of confusion as to what could happen next. Dissolve fade to show the audience
the characters face while it dissolves and changes into another scene, this will show the audience the
state the women is in by what she could be thinking about or even by remembering something about
the past.
Establishing shot- Of the house to show the audience where the action is taking place in.
Long-shot duration- This is to create a slower pace of the scene which can also convey intensity
within the character which would allow the audience to focus on her facial expressions by how she
could be feeling.

10. USP (Unique Selling Point)
To differ from other ‘Romantic Thrillers’ we are using our own unique visual styles and
conventions to establish this, by showing the audience a sense of confusion yet
understanding of what our opening scene is about. The audience will like our opening
sequence because we will be giving them a sense of tension and making them feel as if
they are within the scene. We will make sure this turns out to be much different from any
other romantic thrillers that have been released.