The Killing: woods scene

Although The Killing is a TV series, there are a lot of parts from the first episode, in the first 10 minutes (of series 1) which I thought could be very effective if used in the two minute opening of our film as I believe they manage to fascinate and draw in the audience due to its fast paced music and sound but also the cuts between two very different yet key characters.

One of the parts which I really liked was where we are introduced at the beginning to a character, which we have no idea what she has been through. Through the use of fast editing and fast cuts between shots I think that it allows the audience get a hint of what is going on and feel nervous as it shows both characters running. Due to their facial expressions however, you can tell which character is in a much more different situation as she is scared and is breathing heavily because she is scared yet the other character is breathing heavily because she is jogging. This makes the audience nervous as they known that the younger character is most likely in trouble and is trying to run away from someone, therefore feeling tense as they don't know if she will manage to escape. This also makes them feel worried for the other character as they don't know if anything will happen to her while she is jogging.

Additionally, I think we could use this in our opening. Instead of showing two key protagonists, we could show our protagonist and the villain to develop the story line further and allow the audience to question things and think further into the plot for themselves.  Just like in The Killing, we could create fast cuts of how the characters stories link and how their paths will cross. In the scenario of The Killing it is because the lady running is a detective which is then revealed to us 15 minutes in to the episode (she works the murder case of the younger girl) whereas, for our opening we could show that maybe Anna has escaped and her abductor is trying to capture her again or it could even be a family members journey trying to find her. This will leave the audience with questions, therefore making them want to watch the whole/ rest of the film.

I furthermore, think that it is effective how for the parts where we, as an audience are shown the younger character running, the screen (effects on top of the raw footage) is darker as it helps create tension mainly because this enhances the fact that she is alone and isolated. The loose frames help show this clearer as they make her appear much more vulnerable because she looks smaller in comparison to her surroundings.

Similarly, the close up of her face when she finally finds somewhere to hide is also effective as it clearly shows the worry in her eyes and fear she is feeling. This makes the audience sympathise with the character as her attire also connotes that she is a teenage girl all alone in the woods, fearing for her life with no one to help her. It also enables the audience to feel a little bit more relaxed as it might make them feel that she has a chance of escaping.

There is then a quick shot back to the Detective, where she is seen jogging. We could use this as it helps the scene, particularly because it is shot behind trees and branches, also adding tension as it makes it look like someone is constantly looking at her and something bad may happen. And then finally another quick cut is placed, transitioning to a shot where the girl hears a noise and in the far corner on the left we see a glimpse of light  and hear crunching of leaves as someones footsteps appear louder and louder walking towards us. The teenage girl is then shouting and crawling after she tripped trying to get to safety. This makes the audience panic as again after this it transitions to the detective finding something which looks like body but is a dead seal on the shore.

These parts would be very effective I believe, if used in the two minute opening of our film as it will help the audience create a deeper relationship with our protagonist. I'm glad I looked at the two minute opening of this as I feel like it will help a lot with developing on film and the storyline as a whole.  

Actors & Casting

• For our two minute opening of our film, we decided on having a teenage girl as a protagonist. A possible character/ actress we could base our protagonist on  is Blake Lively who played Serena Van-Der Woodsen in Gossip Girl. I think that she is a good example of a basis for our protagonist as although she is presented as a strong minded and popular girl she is also slowly showed throughout the series as a more trouble/ lonely girl who at times runs away from home in order to avoid her personal problems. She is also shown as a innocent and worried character which I think links nicely with what we are hoping to accomplish through our character.  

•  However, in the scene where our protagonist has a flashback we have decided to include a man to give a bit more detail of how the main character is in that situation without giving to much and also allowing the audince to get more involved in the two minute opening and question what will happen in the rest of our film. I think it would be very suitable if we use someone to play the role of the man in the flashback that has similar characteristics and features similar to Chace Crawford as he has played various roles some including ones which he play nice but also evil characters leaving the audience wandering what the impact of his role in our two minute opening will be.  As we cannot use these precise actors we would like to use some which will mainly remind the audience of these actors in order for them to establish a sense of what kind of characters they are. 

Average Audience Member

From the lesson we had where we went on Pearl and Dean in order to research we found out that our target audience are mainly males aged 15-24. This is due to the element of action which occurs in the opening two minutes of our film but also throughout the whole of it. Since our target audience are males aged 15-24, stereotypically these are some of the interests our audience member's would have: watching films, playing video games and socialising with their friends. This sort of age group has a lot of disposable income and will therefore be able to go to the cinema and take part in activities with their friends in their free time. Our audience member may also like mystery and crime dramas so this film could also appeal to them. Lastly, we are aiming our film to appeal and attract  more at teenagers as it won't be a stereotypical family film resulting in them more likely going to see this type of film with their friends rather than family members. 

Location Research

We chose the location for our film is Nonsuch Park. We have chosen this because we wanted to find a forest that was secluded in order for us to easily shoot our film without interruptions. Furthermore, there is a road that goes through the park which suggests we will be able to shoot and set up the car scene there. Similarly a unique point about Nonsuch Park instead of Richmond which was infact our 2nd choice is that there are a lot more isolated areas rather than at Richmond which gives us a great advantage in setting the scene as we want our main character to appear isolated and helpless. We could possibly for the first part of the opening scene we could the ambient sounds of the natural environment as it is calm and peaceful,  then we could go straight to the shots of the girl running in the forest to show a clear contrast.  Additionally, Richmond Park is a bit harder to get to and will therefore be harder to go back there in case we needed to film additional footage.  Another location that will be included in the two minute opening of our film will be a classroom in school as we would like to film the flashback there. However, we need to make sure to make it unidentifiable as a classroom to add suspense, instead making it appear like a small room or basement. This will also help set the scene as it will add a much more realistic feel to it and make it appear more successful. 

Shot List

This is our shot list for the opening 2 minutes of our film. We would like to have around 30-50 shots. However, when we go out to shoot the two minute opening of our film we might shoot more in order to have extra shots or even in between different shots that we have planned. In order to be able and add more techniques to our two minute opening and expand on the plot more to give the audience a chance to get a little more insight on the plot by giving more detail we added a flashback to it, in between some of the shots. 

Additionally, in order to make sure that we include everything when filming we are going to take the shot list with use so we also know exactly what we need to film. It is very important to film more than planned to have extra footage incase some of it isn't as good as planned or doesn't help it flow nicely once edited, similarly, shooting the same scene/parts in a variety of techniques and angles so we can actually decide which ones are best to use. 

Title- Stockholm Syndrome

• For our film we decided on the name 'Stockholm Syndrome' as we believe it can create more tension and questioning within the audience while they are watching the two minute opening as the title will appear at the end.

•  Stockholm Syndrome or capture bonding, is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy or sympathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them and also identifying with them.

• We could possibly make the storyline of our film that it is then viewed after the two minute opening from the point of view of the police officers that worked this case as it could possibly be a storyline of explaining who the kidnapper is and why he is the way he is which could be why she might identify with him.  Or even from the p.o.v of the protagonist as we want to include a flashback anyway, this could include hints of who her abductor is and why she may have feelings or affections towards him as she might know them. 

• For our title I think the font shown below is most effective and I feel brings a strong sense of intensity and disorientation to the film and links nicely with the storyline.

Appealing to additional Media Studies theories

I believe that our film appeals greatly to Blumler and Katz theory of Uses & Gratifications. 

• I believe that the two minute opening of our film gives the audience a sense of escapism mainly because it allows them to get away from everyday life and watch a very action and tension packed film, as it something they will most likely not have been through or witnessed on a daily basis. The two minute opening of our film will also allow the audience member to feel less stressed of their daily commitments any issues bothering them will not be on their mind. 

• I think that it will additionally, be a great form of (social) interaction because I think that the audience members will be able to create a relationship with the main character, as they may be able to identify with certain things the main character is going through. It can furthermore, create common ground for conversation in everyday lives as they will most likely be discussing to the build up before the release of the film, including trailers, posters to the actual release of the film and after viewing it. Although this is effective, it can sometimes be dangerous if people do not question and cannot differentiate between reality and fiction. 

• Through our opening, our audience members can definitely identify a part of themselves, either through our character or circumstance. For example, physical characteristic which they may have in common. This can go a long way in people's ideologies. 

•  I believe that through our film, especially the two minute opening our audience members gain an understanding and knowledge of the world around them by consuming/watching our product. For example, if they didn't know how easy it was to be taken by someone or even that there are people capable of carrying out such acts. As a whole, I do think that our final product is able to educate and inform the audience through a variety of ways. 

• A very important thing which I think our film manages to do is entertain the audience members as it adheres but also challenges generic conventions of a film within the thriller genre so the content will therefore reach and exceed their expectations as there are many interesting and intensifying scenes which I believe are very enjoyable as they manage to encourage and allow the audience members minds to develop further. 

Other than Blumler & Katz theory, I believe that the two minute opening of our film adheres to Dyers Utopian Solutions. 

• Where the audience members may be feeling exhaustion through their repetitive everyday routines, our film gives them a source of energy mainly because it manages to keep them engaged throughout, wondering what has happened and help them develop the storyline further in their mind to think of how it may end and what situation the protagonist will be in. 

• If the audience members are in fact experiencing feeling of scarcity, our film is able to give them a sense of abundance because (even if it may selfish), it allows them to feel better and appreciative of everything they have in comparison to our protagonist as they are in a much better situation than she is. 

• If the audience members are feeling dreariness, this could be because they feel as though their life is monotonous and is as a whole very predictable, our product brings a solution to that as I believe it manages to convey a sense of intensity to their lives because it could enhance their experience of emotion and encourage them to emotionally get involved without holding back even if they are expressing their emotions to something completely different.

•  If the audience members are feeling manipulation, our product will offer them a sense of transparency as although they may not be able to predict what will happen at all times, they will be able to have a sense or guess what will happen.

• The audience members may be feeling fragmentation, the two minute opening of our film however, will give them a sense of community as they will most likely be seeing the film with their friends and will therefore, feel a sense of belonging as they are socialising and interacting, which will them make them more comfortable and confident when talking to other people and will help them create new friendships as the film industry may become a common ground for them.