Thriller Planning- Script

Thriller Script by connor southwell on Scribd

Motifs in Film

A motif is a repeated item that appears throughout a particular film. The repetition of a motif helps the plot to advance and sometimes helps reveal the theme in that particular film. A motif is often something that is woven into a plot and in order to locate motifs, you have to be an active watcher of film, you must look for reoccurring patterns or items, colours, actions or dialogue we've seen before. Harry Potter is a franchise of films made from the series of books written by JK Rowling, and in the third film of the franchise; Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, a motif is repeated throughout the film in many visual representations.

In this film, a motif is repeated throughout the film that is linked to a dog or a relationship connected to a dog. In the beginning of the film, Dudley's aunt visits Harry in his home. She gets frustrated as the stupidity of certain individuals and delivers the line 'You know what, it's the parents fault, it's just like raising dogs, if there is something wrong with the female dog, then their is going to be something wrong with the child'. This seems like a crazy and irrelevant metaphor at the beginning of the film, but it's actually a highly interesting one to use as Dogs are highly intelligent animals who can be trained to fulfil a number of roles and tasks, so not only is it an irrelevant metaphor, but factually, it's incorrect, so there is a subtle introduction of this motif at the beginning of the film, and one that is carried on only two scenes into the future.

A couple of scenes later, Harry Potter leaves the house in anger at the mistreatment he has been the victim of. Potter is visually vexed at the treatment he has suffered, but when he leaves his home, the motif of the dog returns, as he is stalked and chased by a dark, black dog. This suddenly makes Dudley's Aunt's metaphor more relevant, as evidently the dog has a key impact on this film. The slight high angle on the dog puts the audience in Potter's shoes, and shows the danger and fierceness of the encounter with this dog, it engages the audience and provides connotations of danger and a sense of calmness before the storm that occurs later on. Amazingly, the term black dog has been used to symbolise depression in many pieces of literature. Reg Mombassa (An Australian musician) describes Winston Churchill of having a 'black dog' which followed him around, and the combination of 'darkness' and 'dog' seems an apt way of describing depression, its an illness that could potentially be an everlasting companion as dogs are historically referred to as companions of mankind. Furthermore, it could connote the idea of death, as a black dog is a character renounced in myths and legends, it connotes fear and danger but also this idea of death. Black dogs in dreams are always interpreted negatively and throughout the world dreams that involve black dogs are seen to seen to crush the sleepers chest. Could Harry be depressed or in danger?

This motif of the dog is continued subsequent to Harry's return to Hogwarts as he investigates the contents of his tea leaves after a lesson. An ominous shape of what appears to resemble a hound similar to the one seen chasing Harry previously in the film. The reading of tea leaves is a historical way of finding out fate and where your life is heading. It was used by mystics in the past to predict the future and often you were required to pay for tea leaves to be read. The fact Harry has a symbol of a black dog is no coincidence as it is relevant to the narrative and his fate. According to http://www.tealeaf.ca, the symbol of a dog can mean many things, including the 'thwarting of life chances'. This is evidently a bad reading for Harry as obviously his life is at a liability due to this mysterious, reoccurring dog. This is foreshadowing the conclusion of the film by making it highly obvious this black dog has significance to the narrative and this motif is obviously not being included by accident as it keeps being repeated consistently with high significance. The shot type used is a close up with a slight higher angle to present the dog clearly and thoroughly, but the dark colours of the dog presents this danger and mystery around this particular Dog, why is it being shown? What significance does it have?

As Harry participates in a game of Quidditch, the Snitch rockets into the air, as Harry chases it as it ascends into the thunderous and gloomy sky, Potter quickly becomes surrounded by Dementors, and when he looks into the clouds, one of the clouds seem to resemble that of the black dog. This symbolises the darkness and incoming meeting of Potter and the Dog, and it's going to be one that isn't enjoyable or friendly as this dog is being repeatedly shown to Potter during this sequence of his life. This means the dog is somehow linked to evil, and this why it is black, as the colour black connotes to the danger and mysterious nature and feeling behind the dog. The Black Dog is also a famous ghost associated with the British Isles. So perhaps Potter is being haunted by this famous spirit who is trying to be his downfall. As fans of the franchise are well aware, the Dementors are characters who torture and torment Potter throughout the films, and this is no different as once again they provide the messengers for evil towards Potter. The dog is shown, like the tea leaf scene, at a neutral angle, this is because despite there being connotations of evil, it has to be clear what the image is portraying, and a neutral, mid shot provides clarity and identifies the dog clearly to the audience, the dark colours provide more in terms of connotation than the shot type, as the slight darkness to the cloud makes it visible and clearly stand out, this isn't in Potter's mind, but is actually being presented by the Dementors to Harry and the audience.

The next clip we see of the dog is when Harry, Ron and Hermione explore the lumping willow area as they are chasing after Ron's lost rat, what should they encounter but a black dog. This dog proceeds to grab Ron's leg and drags him under the lumping willow. This is more of a visual motif than perhaps the other examples of the tea leaves and the cloud, they all do the same thing but in different variations, the contrast of colours is significant in this seen, because despite the dog being a dark and dangerous black, the grass in which it is standing upon is a luscious and beautiful green with presents to the audience the idea of life and growth. The grass symbolises the dog's goodness, despite his ugly and dangerous outside, maybe there is a goodness inside of the dog that appreciates life and is not meaning any harm, much like the character of Beast in Beauty and the Beast, despite his ugly, malicious image, he has a warm heart, and perhaps the presentations of the dogs image was an attempt to make contact with Potter and aide him in some way. The angle in which the dog is presented at is extremely interesting as it has been shown as evil throughout the film and that's certainly the suggestion to the audience, that this character or dog is out to harm Potter but firstly wants to psychologically damage him, in this scene, he is presented at a mid shot which shows him in a neutral position, the same as Potter, could this be a symbolic link linking the two characters together? Could the dog mean something to Potter? However, shortly after this, the dog attacks Ron and once more this dog is shown as vicious.

The final time the motif of the dog is seen is at the conclusion of the film, as another visual is used to present it. This time the audience are shown a zoomed in image of paw prints on a wooden floor. This is presented at a close up angle, complimented with a pan and a soft underscore to build tension. Here, the kids are inside the shrieking shack after they have finally found Ron after he was dragged through this tunnel from the lumping willow to the Shrieking Shack. Again, we don't see the dog or the dog's face, instead we just see paw prints of the dog. This shows the variation of presentation of motif as this dog is seen in many different visual and aural mentions, whether that be through dialogue, a hint, a flavour or a visual image. That dog is highly significant to the narrative and this film in particular as it ends up being Sirius Black, Harry's godfather who has escaped from the Prison of Azkaban, which as it said in the film, is one of the most secure prisons ever built. Due to Black's animagus form of a dog, he tries to make a connection with Harry through this form of himself as he is attempting to protect Harry. So this motif that's repeated throughout the film is highly significant to Harry and the narrative, the different variations of the motif presents the importance the dog has on the film and come to the conclusion that the dog is important as it is not only about the dog, but revealing the characterisation of Sirius Black and connecting him with Harry Potter and the fact Black is actually a good character, who is trying to aide Potter rather than kill him which is what the motif presents to the audience throughout the film.

To conclude, the variety of presentation that is used to show this motif throughout the film makes it highly engaging and interactive for the audience. It conveys one message and then tricks you into revealing another. This motif is all about characterisation of Sirius Black and this is done in many elements of representation, from visual to dialogue. It symbolisms so much from depression to companionship and its this that leaves the audience guessing throughout.

Independent Study- The role of men and women in Film Noir

In the dark and gloomy 1940s, the world was left scarred and fractured after the destruction of World War II, and this was reflected and used in film. Film Noir was a popular genre of film at this time, due to it's gloominess and darkness, it reflected perfectly the feelings and emotions of society. But in times of world invigoration, it was up to film to help reflect and be the spokesperson to aid this process, and with the exodus of Jewish Film Noir directors, producers and cinematographers from Nazi Germany to the US, they were able to understand the loneliness and complexity of this historical period. Noir was about using and exaggerating feelings of darkness, gloominess and what some described as 'the period the American Dream died.' How were men and woman presented? What personalities and qualities did they have?

Directors such as Fritz Lang left Germany due to Jewish heritage which would have left Lang almost certainly dead in a concentration camp. Lang left Germany to pursue his filmmaking career. Lang used personal accounts to add greater authenticity and realism to his films. Lang was an example of a director who presented the roles of Males and Females in different ways.

The Role of Men and Women in Film by connor southwell on Scribd

What’s the purpose of a film’s opening sequence?

The opening of a film is a highly important piece of the film making process. Not only does it draw the attention of the audience but also clearly establishes era and genre of the film which, as an audience member, it answers questions and also traditionally, you see a famous actor(ess) who is playing the lead in the film, and this usually draws connotations of heroism or villainous feelings towards this character through use of camera shots and movement.

Examples of different thriller films opening sequence

The Matrix- The Matrix is a sci-fi thriller made in 1999, the opening scene however contains conventions of Film Noir and shows a femme fatale in Trinity beating up member of the police force. It used groundbreaking special effects and the opening sequence was used to effectively show the world in which the Matrix was set and set up a film that got stunning reviews.

The Spy Who Loved Me- A 1977 James Bond film, its opening sequence contained a marvellously aesthetic ski sequence which involved a backward flip. These moves contains OO7 and when he opens his parachute, the Union Jack is shown to present Bond's loyalty to his country. Later in the sequence he exchanges dialogue with his love interest in which she says 'But James, I need you' to which Bond replies 'So does England'. An explosive start to a Bond film which proved a popular film in the trilogy.

Star Wars- The 1977 Star Wars is renounced at one of the best opening sequences in film history. The opening sequence involves a spaceship chase scene, and clearly establishes the genre, era and setting of the film. It started the franchise of Star Wars globally.

In the opening scene of The Dark Night (2008) directed by Christopher Nolan, the film is launched at the beginning of the titles as the Batman theme is played throughout the opening titles, this is clearly distinctive to the audience who associate that particular score with the trilogy of Batman films. This music is played a very low volume to create tension and creates a clear beginning to the film. To coincide with the films dark themes, the logos of Warner Bros foreshadows the opening of the film, which shows a bank heist before Nolan even introduces Batman. The darkness is a clear theme throughout the opening scene and the dark clouds behind the logo of Warner Bros connotes the evil that is yet to be created by the Joker played by Heath Ledger. Also within the title sequence, a cloud or smoke is presented to the audience, but as the smoke disperses, the bat symbol associated with Batman is visible, this is done to clearly set the scene that the audience are watching a Batman film and the newest of a trilogy. This is an alternative from writing 'The Dark Night' and in presenting the Bat symbol they provide a clear sense of beginning and build an anticipation within the audience.

The first shot is an establishing shot which clearly shows skyscrapers and tall, professional buildings. This presents to the audience where the film is going to be set; an industrial, modern city. Also, it clarifies time period and setting to ease the audience into the film. There is also a non diegetic, dull sound which replaces the trilogy music usually associated with Batman. This subtle change in tone

and intensity grabs the audiences attention and as it grows increasingly louder throughout the shot, it builds up tension and anticipates the audience as to what is to happen. Nolan uses non diegetic sound to full affect to increase the intensity in the film but also to symbolise what is going to happen in this opening sequence. After this establishing shot, a zoom is used to focus onto one specific window of the blue-tinted skyscraper. Shortly after the shot settles into place, there is a smash to the central window, this smash is amplified in editing to make it more powerful, effective and dramatic. Following this smash, there is a fast paced cut to a man wearing a clown mask in a nearby building. This character is observed to be wearing a clown mask, thus hiding his face and character from the audience, this makes the audience feel negatively towards this character, partly due to the fact he is holding a gun, and is conveyed to be the character responsible for the smashing of the window, which presents him in a bad light, also, the low key lighting and darkness when the cut is mad connotes the idea of evil and shadiness. The next shot is an over the shoulder shot which, thanks to continuity editing, shows us, albeit briefly, another character present alongside the man who is originally shown. After breaking the window, the two characters are seen to have a grappling hook pointed to another building, and after the destruction of a window seen beforehand, the audience becomes aware these characters are the antagonists. Their creepy masks are familiar to those used in Batman comics, that familiarity ensure the audience conclude that this is the work of The Joker, or his henchmen, as The Joker is the villain and a recognisable pillar in the Batman trilogy.

Following this, there is a mid long shot showing a person holding a similar mask to that of the attackers seen in the previous shot. The camera is seen to zoom into the mask as oppose to the person, thus conveying to the audience that the mask holds greater importance to the narrative than the

person who is behind it. When the cut is made from the over the shoulder shot to this mid shot, A loud clanging noise is present, which increases intensity and creates a sense of fear and anxiety amongst the audience. This music increases its volume, pitch and pace as the camera zooms into the mask, which creates anticipation and leaves the audience asking certain questions; who is this man? what is that mask? What importance does it have? Who are they?

As the camera stops zooming, a car is seen to come into the shot, and the man carrying the mask proceeds to wear it, as this happens, contrapuntal sound is used as the music becomes more upbeat and positive music, this creates a contrast and foreshadows that good will conquer evil eventually. Non-diegetic sound is used to emphasise the vehicles arrive into shot, the tyres screech and this indicates that the car was travelling at a high speed, also, it makes the scene more harsh, if no emphasis was placed onto the car, then the close up of  the mask seems irrelevant and unimportant. The volume being created dominates the scene and draws attention back to reality and away for the almost dream like sequence of the mask.

Cross cutting is a technique that shows a scene whilst another is happening, its a clever and effective editing style which adds depth, intensity and creates tension within the narrative as it shows a course of events that influence the shape and direction of the scene. Cross cutting is used to full effect in this opening sequence. We are shown the characters we saw traditionally as they begin to zipwire towards another building, the camera is at a slight tilt which connotes danger around these antagonists as they exit the building they are standing in. This cuts into a birds eye view of the city below, presenting the audience with a sense of perspective as to the height and danger these people are going through as they zip wire towards another building. Also, as an audience member, its interactive in the sense that it presents you as the forth person on the zip wire before cutting away to show the characters on the zip wire to a mid shot to give the audience a sense of realism and present the danger these people are putting themselves in to reach the other building. Match on action is used to great effective within this sequence of shots as the see the men onset their journey, then see them on the wire before another low shot showing the denouncement of their descent.  A quick dynamic cut is used to replicate the intensity and tension being built with in this scene as an over the shoulder shot is used following the landing of the characters seen previously. As an audience member, the use of the over the shoulder shot puts us in the car with the people in masks.

 This is where we hear our first exchange of dialogue, The people within the car are talking about the 'job' they are conducting and then reference the 'two men on the roof', the dialogue provides context to what we've seen up to this point, however, the most important line spoken is 'I know why they call him The Joker' this concludes the evilness of these apparent henchmen and shows the audience they are carrying out a plot for their master, who must be The Joker. This also presents The Joker as the main antagonist in this film.

The low-key lighting present in the car reflects the thugs darkness and creates a mysterious and ominous atmosphere within the vehicle, and the contrast of the blue sky presents the calm before the storm, and although all is well in this city, it is all about to be turned on its head by the job these men are about to conduct. This cuts to a discussion between the two men located on the roof of the building. 'So why do they call him the Joker?' this puts more focus on The Joker and shows the spotlight is firmly on him and his entrance. 'I hear he wears make up', this gives the audience a physical presentation of how The Joker is looking and fans of the trilogy will be excited as The Joker is the main antagonist to Batman throughout the series, and fans will be keen to see the next chapter with in their battle to be on top, to see the battle of good vs evil and this is presented here. After these discussions regarding the Joker, we see a man with a bag enter the building presented to us at a low angle to connote power and significance, could this be The Joker?

After a tracking shot of the robbers running into what becomes apparent is a bank, a quicker cut is used back to the men of the roof. 'A silent alarm' shows clear expertise in the role they are carrying out to aide this particular robbery, also, the amount of wires and electricals present . After this brief discussion we cut back into the building, this quick exchange of cuts builds tension and anticipation of what is being constructed by the villains in this opening sequence. After the alarm, we see the same bag that's been shown throughout the sequence, this conveys the significance of what is inside it. The next shot is a mid shot of the Bank manager who looks calm as he takes off his glasses, his suit shows to the audience he is of the upper class and isn't feared or worried regarding the break in of his bank. A slow cut is used show the entrance of the metal drill penetrating the metal door, this slow cut helps the audience see the difference between the frantic nature of the killers on the bottom floor and their mission to kill and get supremacy, whereas their is a more skilled, reserved nature present within the robbers who are breaking into the bank, the mixture of slow and quick cuts show that many things are happening at once and shows the fractiousness of the killers who are strategically robbing this bank before the police or Batman become present.

After the line 'Nobody move', the bank manager fires a shot at one of the thugs, this shows the bravery of the man and his desire to stop evil. This also symbolises the power The Joker has over his henchmen, because despite their killing and work, they will definitely be killed by him as he seeks power and wealth. There is a quick cut that shows the man being electrocuted at the vault as the antagonists plans seem to be falling apart and this is carried on by the series of shot reserve shot exchanged between the bank manager and the robbers, as a more neutral angle is used to present the bank manager, as although he is fighting evil, he will be killed by the villains as they seek power and control over the bank, the neutral mid shot is used because although he is showing tremendous bravery in attempting to combat the villains, he is ultimately to late to start fighting back and has let several of his workers be assassinated by the villains.

Interestingly, as the bank manager is shot in the leg, he shakes but there is no blood present, this is to ensure that the age certificate of the film stays a 12A, so young comic book fans can see the next instalment of the trilogy in cinemas and the companies involved in the film maximise profit. A shot of the character in the mask who shot the manager is shown and as he is shown, the Joker theme tune is present, this is climaxing The Joker's incoming entrance and excites the fans who want to see his first appearance in the film.

We cut back to the men working on the vault, and once again the motif of the bag is present as a close up shows the contents of it being rolled out, this adds another layer to the narrative and it becomes evident the villains are about to break into the vault and steal all the money present with in, the dialogue exchanged talks about 'the boss' and how there should be 'one less share', this shows the ruthlessness of The Joker and also portrays to the audience the greed present with in these villains as they are willing to kill each other for a larger stake in the money. As the vault open, we see a close up of one character spinning the vault to open it, as this is happening, it is clear that the other man draws a gun and shoots, but we never see the shot entering the victim and this is again to ensure the age certificate remains at 12A. The character on the floor of he bank is seen to be calmly strolling around the base of the bank, in control and power of the situation he has created. Another masked man comes into shot and loads his gun which is met with a soft underscore to build intensity and tension to the scene, this is when the elusive Joker first speaks and this is met with the volume of the underscore increases to reveal his identity and this to the audience is exciting as he is a figure stone of the Batman trilogy and this really kick starts the film.

The opening sequence in the Dark Knight is really interesting as it doesn't feature Batman at all, its an intense bank heist which obviously builds up the narrative and acts as a trigger point, it clearly presents evil and catapults the audience into the film, its clear they are watching a Batman film but also clear that they are watching an action thriller, and this differs to other films who ease the audience in, this was a film that was hugely anticipated by fans of the Batman trilogy and that excitement is built with a big budget, explosive bank heist to make the mouths of Batman fans water.