Friday 12 February 2010
Thursday 11 February 2010
Monday 8 February 2010
Production Companies
A production company is crucial for a film to be made. The producer(s) is the person (or group of people) who pull together all the aspects that make a film, developing the project until the movie is complete. This includes finding all of the right ingredients for a great film- a script, financial investors, the right director, a cast, hiring equipment, a production team (including camera staff, makeup, costume etc), managing the budget and finding a company to distribute the film when it's finished.
They can be broken down into Major and Minor production companies. The major companies are in control of the entire production process (they make the films and distribute them). Minor companies would not necessarily have enough money or credibility to distribute their film at a high level.
Some companies (like NBC Universal and Warner Bros Entertainment) make films of many genres have made some great Thrillers, such as 'Jaws' (a Universal picture) and 'Gothika' (part produced by Warner Bros).
Some production companies specialise in Thriller films, such as Dark Castle Entertainment (who have produced films such as 'House of Wax', 'Orphan', 'The Reaping' and 'Ghost Ship'.
They can be broken down into Major and Minor production companies. The major companies are in control of the entire production process (they make the films and distribute them). Minor companies would not necessarily have enough money or credibility to distribute their film at a high level.
Some companies (like NBC Universal and Warner Bros Entertainment) make films of many genres have made some great Thrillers, such as 'Jaws' (a Universal picture) and 'Gothika' (part produced by Warner Bros).
Some production companies specialise in Thriller films, such as Dark Castle Entertainment (who have produced films such as 'House of Wax', 'Orphan', 'The Reaping' and 'Ghost Ship'.
Sunday 31 January 2010
Sub-genres of Thriller Films
Some Thriller directors and writers make the decision to combine conventions of a Thriller film with ideas from other genres. This can change the target audience of a film.
CRIME Using elements of Crime often influences the plot of a Thriller, in that it becomes less psychological and more about the logic behind the crime that has taken place. Examples of common themes of Crime-Thrillers include murder, kidnapping, drug dealing, gang warfare. For example, 'Se7en' and 'Reservoir Dogs' are sometimes classed as Crime-Thrillers.
EROTIC Combining Erotica and Thriller conventions became particularly popular in the 80's, with films like 'Dressed to Kill' and 'Fatal Attraction'. These films may include themes of lust, infatuation and obsessive love, leading to a thrilling plot. Some say that combining such genres is so powerful because Erotica is intended to raise the heartrate and prevoke an emotional reaction, as is the aim of a Thriller.
MEDICAL A Medical-Thriller may involve characters whom are in the profession (eg. doctors, nurses, surgeons). This would naturally lend to setting a film in a hospital of some kind. Typical plots of Medi-Thrillers include solving a medical problem, medical experiments gone wrong and life-or-death situations. Some Medical films are based on elements of true stories, like 'The Hot Zone'. Others may only take some conventions of a Medical film (like in 'The Dark Knight' where a hospital is used as part of the setting).
PSYCHOLOGICAL I personally find Psychological-Thriller films the most Thrilling, because they often plant things into the audience's minds that will generate a reaction and (if it's a good film) leave you thinking about it for days. Psychological films are usually based on the mental and emotional conflict between characters, as opposed to physical combat. Sometimes there will be a character who has a psychological problem which leads to their strange behaviour. 'Hostage' takes some conventions of a Psychological-Thriller, adding extra suspense and originality.
RELIGIOUS Typically, the themes, storylines and characters are, in some way, founded in religion with a Religious-Thriller. This could include historical, religious conflict, the beginning of a new religion and often elements of corruption. This offers the opportunity for grand settings, much like the set of 'Angels and Demons', based on the Dan Brown book.
HORROR This is a very specific genre that people often confuse with Thriller. This is because film makers often combine conventions of Thriller and Horror films in order to add interest and heighten the intensity of a movie. Typical conventions of a Horror include blood and gore, with the intention to shock the audience. Films like 'Hostel' and 'Saw' combine conventions from these genres.
CRIME Using elements of Crime often influences the plot of a Thriller, in that it becomes less psychological and more about the logic behind the crime that has taken place. Examples of common themes of Crime-Thrillers include murder, kidnapping, drug dealing, gang warfare. For example, 'Se7en' and 'Reservoir Dogs' are sometimes classed as Crime-Thrillers.
EROTIC Combining Erotica and Thriller conventions became particularly popular in the 80's, with films like 'Dressed to Kill' and 'Fatal Attraction'. These films may include themes of lust, infatuation and obsessive love, leading to a thrilling plot. Some say that combining such genres is so powerful because Erotica is intended to raise the heartrate and prevoke an emotional reaction, as is the aim of a Thriller.
MEDICAL A Medical-Thriller may involve characters whom are in the profession (eg. doctors, nurses, surgeons). This would naturally lend to setting a film in a hospital of some kind. Typical plots of Medi-Thrillers include solving a medical problem, medical experiments gone wrong and life-or-death situations. Some Medical films are based on elements of true stories, like 'The Hot Zone'. Others may only take some conventions of a Medical film (like in 'The Dark Knight' where a hospital is used as part of the setting).
PSYCHOLOGICAL I personally find Psychological-Thriller films the most Thrilling, because they often plant things into the audience's minds that will generate a reaction and (if it's a good film) leave you thinking about it for days. Psychological films are usually based on the mental and emotional conflict between characters, as opposed to physical combat. Sometimes there will be a character who has a psychological problem which leads to their strange behaviour. 'Hostage' takes some conventions of a Psychological-Thriller, adding extra suspense and originality.
RELIGIOUS Typically, the themes, storylines and characters are, in some way, founded in religion with a Religious-Thriller. This could include historical, religious conflict, the beginning of a new religion and often elements of corruption. This offers the opportunity for grand settings, much like the set of 'Angels and Demons', based on the Dan Brown book.
Wednesday 27 January 2010
Sunday 10 January 2010
Target Audiences for Thrillers
Our thriller opening is a psychological thriller, this type of movie would attract a certain type of audience. From researching other psychological thrillers such as:
Seven
This thriller portrays the exploits of a deranged serial-killer. His twisted agenda involves choosing seven victims who represent egregious examples of transgressions of each of the Seven Deadly Sins. He then views himself as akin to the Sword of God, handing out horrific punishment to these sinners. Two cops, an experienced veteran of the streets who is about to retire and the ambitious young homicide detective hired to replace him, team up to capture the perpetrator of these gruesome killings. Unfortunately, they too become ensnared in his diabolical plan.
Memento
Memento chronicles two separate stories of Leonard, an ex-insurance investigator who can no longer build new memories, as he attempts to find the murderer of his wife, which is the last thing he remembers. One story line movies forward in time while the other tells the story backwards revealing more each time.
Silence of the lambs
Clarice Starling, a young intelligent FBI trainee, has been sent to the Batlimore state hospital for the Criminally insane to interview an inmate Dr. Hannibal – the cannibal – Lecter. A brilliant and renowned psychiatrist turned serial killer. She must match wits with Lecter to gain clues in the search for “Buffalo Bill” – an unknown psychopathic serial killer.
All of these following three films have certificates of fifteen to eighteen. Seeing as our thriller movie has content of a young girl being stalked by a older man, and content which is not suitable for young children, I would say our certificate would be round about the same as the other movies fifteen to eighteen. I would see adults watching this type of movie as it has mature themes and will be testing the audience's intelligence with the plot and they will have to have a open mind watching the movie.
[written by Joe]
Seven
This thriller portrays the exploits of a deranged serial-killer. His twisted agenda involves choosing seven victims who represent egregious examples of transgressions of each of the Seven Deadly Sins. He then views himself as akin to the Sword of God, handing out horrific punishment to these sinners. Two cops, an experienced veteran of the streets who is about to retire and the ambitious young homicide detective hired to replace him, team up to capture the perpetrator of these gruesome killings. Unfortunately, they too become ensnared in his diabolical plan.
Memento
Memento chronicles two separate stories of Leonard, an ex-insurance investigator who can no longer build new memories, as he attempts to find the murderer of his wife, which is the last thing he remembers. One story line movies forward in time while the other tells the story backwards revealing more each time.
Silence of the lambs
Clarice Starling, a young intelligent FBI trainee, has been sent to the Batlimore state hospital for the Criminally insane to interview an inmate Dr. Hannibal – the cannibal – Lecter. A brilliant and renowned psychiatrist turned serial killer. She must match wits with Lecter to gain clues in the search for “Buffalo Bill” – an unknown psychopathic serial killer.
All of these following three films have certificates of fifteen to eighteen. Seeing as our thriller movie has content of a young girl being stalked by a older man, and content which is not suitable for young children, I would say our certificate would be round about the same as the other movies fifteen to eighteen. I would see adults watching this type of movie as it has mature themes and will be testing the audience's intelligence with the plot and they will have to have a open mind watching the movie.
[written by Joe]
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