Conventions and common techniques of a psycho thriller
"narratives
with domesticated settings in which action is suppressed and where thrills are
provided instead via investigations of the psychologies of the principal
characters."[
Techniques
Techniques that are commonly used are plot lines such as
waking up from a medical condition, whether that is a coma or a amnesia, car
crash or waking up in an unknown location.
The adaption and manipulation of the audience through bias
narration or a restricted access to the plot. A prime example of this would be
sucker punch in which the entire movie is set in the split second before the
main character is lobotomized and is finally irrelevant to the true plot.
Shutter island uses biased narration and a restricted story
to manipulate the audience into believing that the main character is someone
who isn’t who he makes himself to be.
Clover field uses enigma to create an actually scary monster
by never showing it directly and therefore not having to afford to create
effect which with the current technology may create an unrealistic monster without
using a massive budget.
Camera shot
Use of POV is often used to represent the characters
perspective but crane shots and high angle shots are used to make the character
look a lot smaller and weaker.
Medium long shots are used from concealed or higher areas to
create a sense that the character is being watched.
Long track shots can be used for slowing the pace of the
film while fast paced shots for different angles as well different ranges (i.e
closer and closer) can increase the pace and alter the atmosphere.
An almost upsetting technique for the audience is when
characters are building up to and event and the audience is watching from a set
position, i.e a camera in the wall, but the characters leave the camera view
but still in audible range, this will make the audience feel that they need to
see whats going on as well as create conclusions with the incoming audio. This
area where the imagination comes into play is usually the most effective as we
will focus on what we don’t want to happen the most (i.e main character is
killed) and creates a scarier and much more intense scene than that of a filmed
one.
Hand Held shots covey authenticity as well as making a
believable cheap budget movies as a niche and purposely shaky.
Audience
Certificate
requirements
- “The work as a whole must not endorse
discriminatory language or behaviour.[1]
- Drug taking may be shown but the film as a
whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse. Promotion of drugs which
are easy to obtain are unlikely to be allowed.[1]
- Strong threat and menace are permitted
unless sadistic or sexualised.[1]
- Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging,
suicide and self-harming) can be allowed provided the detail of such is
low so that it can not create too much of an impression of the viewer.
Abuse of weapons which are easily obtained will not be tolerated.[1]
- Frequent use of strong language can be
permitted, although very strong language needs to be restricted and would
have to be seen as reasonable in the context. Frequent usage of very
strong language would be seldom allowed.[1]
- Nudity in a sexual content must be
restricted however nudity in a non-sexual content does not.[1]
- Sexual activity without strong detail would
most likely to be allowed. Some strong sexual references may be allowed
to, but very strong ones may not, unless used within reason. Sexual acts
or references with the intention of causing arousal is not likely to be
permitted.[1]
- As long as the film is appropriate for 15
year olds, no certain themes are prohibited.[1]
- Violence may be strong but should not dwell
on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are
unlikely to be acceptable. The same applies to references. Any sexual
violence should be discreet and be strongly justified.[1]”
Quoted from wiki
Our filmed will be created to fit into
the 15 year old certificate and make sure that all aspects, conventions and
scenes meet the requirement of the rules above. We have chosen this film grade
due to its ability to allow more violence and freedom of filming while keeping
to an accurate and conventional movie certificate. Our audience includes 15year
old and above as do most thriller/horrors because this audience is by far the
most interested in this genre as well as the widest audience.
