Inspiration for our Thriller

Here is a selection of clips in which myself and my group have found inspiration for our Thriller. The shots, and use of camera is the main influence in these sequences.

THE CHASE (Action Short): (Forest chase sequence)

Inspiration: Handheld, chaotic camera movement/ Music

This chase sequence effectively creates a sense of chaos and anxiety, and establishes a clear narrative. Despite the CinemaScope ratio being a little over done, it is also very cinematic and is similar to what I want my thrillers' running sequence to look like. The film maker has used fast cuts and chaotic, unfixed, movement of the camera, to create a sense of disorder and panic. Ignoring the chaser, I picture the shots of our murderer running through the woods to look something like this. I intend to use a combination of handheld, medium and close up shots, creating panic, and revealing very little about the appearance of the runner.

The director has chosen to use a slow camera shutter speed, whilst quickly panning with the actor, this blurs out the background and intensifies the pace at which the boy is running, I intend to use this technique, to increase the pace at which my actor is running.

The music featured in this sequence is also suiting to the mood and atmosphere I want to create in my thriller. The high tension drums, combined with the violin adds a sense of empathy needed in my thriller. As the man has just commit murder, simple fast paced action music is not sufficient. therefore we need music that also expresses his feelings of desperation, regret, and fear.

SHERLOCK HOLMES - A Game Of Shadows: (Forest Chase Sequence)

 Inspiration: Use of Slow Motion/ fast paced editing

I love the shots in this scene, they are incredibly interesting. The director offers many different angles and perspectives of the action. I am particularly intrigued by the use of slow motion. On the right you can see the camera rapidly crab through the forest, where a man bends down to grab his riffle. although our character may not be reaching for a weapon we could perhaps use this editing technique as our character looks back over his shoulder at his abandoned crime scene.

I also admire this extreme slow motion shot exhibited on the left. Here the character leaps over a log as a bullet passes close by him. This makes it seem epic and has a massive impact on the audience focusing their attention to the danger of the scene by pin pointing how close this bullet was to the man, this enables them to appreciate the intensity of the scene. This also creates a more interesting perspective on the action and adds a twist, so that it isn't just plainly a man running through a Forrest.

The last section I find very exciting and interesting is at 1:51, we see a medium close up shot of the man from a profile view, once again in extreme slow motion, however this time the music completely stops, and it is silent. This holds a huge moment of tension and is very alluring. We hope to create lots of tension in our thriller to keep the viewer engaged, this use of silence may be an effective method to create it.

Twilight - Forrest Scene: 360 degree shot

Starting at 0:49 there is a 360 degree track in medium close up of the two characters, this would be challenging to achieve however it shows depth and extent of the forest, making the character seem isolated creates a sense of the audience being in the forest watching and observing the character. It is elegant and engaging and I can imagine this working moments where we see the character break down. We coud use this to reveal the splatter of blood on the side of his face, moving from one side of his face to the other, creating a pivitol moment where we realise he has killed the other teenager. It rotates on the same level and keeps almost in eye line with the woman in the scene, this retains our interest through out the shot as it has quite a long shot duration and lasts for about 8 eight seconds. The whole shot creates suspense and dramatises the situation, and this could easily be applied to our opening sequence.

The Talented Mr Ripley: (Accidental Murder Scene)

I saw this sequence in a movie I recently watched which features a scenario very similar to the one in my thriller. This accidental murder is what will happen in my thriller however will be shown with no dialogue and in a serious of short flashbacks. This is what happens: Boy 2 provokes boy 1, thinking that he wont fight back, but he takes it so far that boy 1 explodes with anger and does fight back in an extreme sense. Hurt badly, Boy 2 goes crazy trying to kill boy 1 until boy 1 has no choice but to use a weapon to kill boy 2.

This build up of anger between the two characters, is required from my actors to display how this boy has been led to commit murder. I need two very good actors that can make this scenario appear real, If the on screen events are believable then the audience will feel more engaged and connected with the characters.

I hope for my flashback sequence to look like this. Here are the key moments I intend to focus on:

The first flashback shows the moment where boy 2 provokes boy 1. This is what it should look like however set in a forest of course. Boy 2 will shout at boy 1, slapping him around like he is worthless and pathetic. We will see the anger building in boy 1 as he does this. Boy 2 here shows his dominance by standing above boy 1 and looking down on him. I intend to do this also to show who is in control of the situation.

This will be the second flashback showing the point where boy 1 is pushed to the limit. After boy 2 mocks him, he makes a drastic move in an outburst of anger. In this clip he hits him with an oar from the boat, in my thriller boy 1 will grab boy 2 and punch him in the face. This will be the turning point in the flashback sequence where the serious violence really begins, and the audience now begin to presume that this is going to end badly.

In the third flashback, boy 2 who is injured from the punch will fight back, between them there will be a great struggle. Here boy 1 will be defending himself as boy 2 goes crazy trying to fight back at boy 1 for punching him in the face. These shots will be very shaky and cut fast creating an intense sense of danger and struggle.

This will be the fourth flashback. Here the two will be mid fight. Boy 1 will be frantically trying to defend himself from boy 2 as he uncontrollably attacks him. Blood from boy 2's punch wound should drip onto boy 1's face. Boy 2's expression will be filled with intense anger and adrenaline. Boy 1 will show fear and panic. After a few seconds of struggle boy 1 will manage to push boy 2 away from him into a tree.

In the final flashback the final murder will be shown. after pushing away boy 2, boy 1 will quickly stand up. As boy 2 crazily lunges towards him from his knees. Boy 1 will grab a log and swing it at boy 2, uppercutting him and killing him. The screen will cut to black a split second after this has happened and we see some blood fly close past the lens.