Project Research

By Liam Allan

Thriller GenreThe Thriller genre has had origins in the 20s and 30s which were

also its golden age thanks to Alfred Hitchcock who released numerous films in these decades[1] all of which were successes.

For a film to be classed as a Thriller it must contain sudden rushes of excitement in order to “thrill” the audience.

The story and or content is not limited within the genre which is present within the multiple subgenres of the Thriller which range from Political to Supernatural.

In today’s cinema the Thriller genre is more commonly seen alongside the horror, the most popular example of this is Saw 2004 which sees high levels of excitement with the police side and then more horror based elements with the traps/trap.

1 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hitchcock#Filmography

Existing Products

One of the most well known Thrillers is that of Memento.Memento was released in 2000 and is a psychological Thriller as our protagonist is Dealing with mental issues Through the story, it is most well know for Its quirky story telling method that sees the story work in reverse.

Memento - 2000

Oldboy – 2003Oldboy is another classic example of a

thriller film, as appose to psychological, the film see the protagonist looking for his missing daughter seeing multiple sudden rushes of excitement and seamless lulls.

The move was directed by South Korean director Park Chan Wook and was based off of a Japanese manga[1] with the same name. The film was also remade by Spike Lee in 2013

Most well known for its incredibly long shot of a corridor fight, the shot lasts for approximately 3 minutes with little to no editing involved.[2] 1 – Oldboy Vol 1 – Garon Tsuchiya http://www.amazon.com/

Old-Boy-Vol-Garon-Tsuchiya/dp/1593075685 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwIIDzrVVdc

Horror Genre Horror has much earlier origins than Thriller that can be traced asearly as the 1890s, the horror genre is intended to provoke some form of fear into the audience by focusing on their fears, the mostsuccessful horrors focus on more hidden/subliminal fears for instance Paranormal Activity (2007) focuses around an unknown entity/force that enters the daily lives of the protagonists, event-ually taking it over, “One of the oldest rules of terror that the best Horror films use is what you can image is always worse than what you see”.[1] However over time shocks in horror films become less effective as audiences become desensitized to them.[2] The horror genre is too quite diverse in terms of the filming and techniques, found-footage, jump scares etc. as well asthe subject matter of the films, Body Horror, Slasher Horror etc. however it can prove to be much more challenging with a lower budget than a thriller. 1 - http://filmmakermagazine.com/76622-so-you-want-to-make-a-horror-film-on-jump-scares-and-other-basics-of-fright/#.VYEz7zvF-QM

Audience

The idea of a horror film is to cite some form of negative emotion into the viewer meaning that these films tend to have high age ratings and therefore an older audience.

Since the introduction of the Slasher film gore has played a large part of the genre meaning it is more likely that the audiences will be older, however there are a younger audience for these films meaning some films with lower age ratings exist for instance the Woman in Black was rated a 12 for cinemas[1] and was still a horror success.1 - http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/woman-black-2011

Existing ProductsHalloween - 1978Released in 1978 Halloween is

unarguably one of the most influential films in the horror genre. Halloween was very much a genre defining piece for the Slasher subgenre of horror.

The movie uses the technique of keeping the enemy hidden to make the viewer fear them more, Carpenter does this by having Michael Myers wear a mask and have little screen time (except for the ending) as this links back to the imagination being worse rule.

Existing Products

Ring – 1998Directed by Hideo Nakata Ring had a rather

large impact on Western cinema as well as gaining cult status.

The most impressive aspect of Ring is its rather immersive feel that almost places the viewer inside the story.

The film is shot using low lighting for the most part as this helps to create an ominous and quite mysterious feel.[1]

At the time of Ring’s release western cinema was very heavily influenced by the Slasher film (as mentioned previously) for example Scream, the Halloween sequels etc. Which was a part of Ring’s success as it was a breakaway from the same old genre.

1 - http://www.slideshare.net/louisew96/techniques-and-ideas-used-in-the-horror-films

AppearanceHorror films are generally shot in

low lighting to add negative connotations to a scene which is helpful for the genre as its goal is to provoke negative emotions into the viewer.

To the left we have stills from Halloween (1978) and Ring (1998) both 20 years apart yet they still use the same technique, if I were to create a short film in this genre I would use the same convention.

Draft Report

By Liam Allan

Audience• I have found that I will be appealing to an older audience through their

age ratings.[1][2] • Although a younger audience (though not strictly legal) will exist, a

well known example of this occurring was the rise and fall of the video nasty in the 1980s in which young people were able to access explicit films with ease.

• This means that I am not as restricted as I would be with any other genre, although my work can not be too disturbing as horror films have been censored in the past, a well known example is the Human Centipede series which saw the BBFC claim that “no amount of cuts would allow the film an age certificate”[3]

• Because I have an older audience this means they are likely to be quite critical meaning that there is more pressure to create a good product.

1 - http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/halloween-1978 2 - http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/ring-20013 - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jun/06/human-centipede-sequel-bbfc

Market• Many films exist across both Horror and Thriller genres due to their

incredibly long history and mainstream popularity.• Horror had origins in the 1890s[1] and still has a very large following

today which can be observed online with fan websites[2][3]. The Thriller had its origins in the 1920s – 30s. Over time the two genres have essentially merged, this can be seen through films such as The Purge, Cabin in the Woods. This means that the genre can cover any topic so long as it excites and or scares.

• Although the Thriller and Horror have mostly merged Thriller only films still do exist, for instance: Oldboy (2003), the Bourne films etc. These films are intended to thrill the audience as appose to evoke negativity in them

1 – Chapter 1 of A History of Horror by Wheeler W Dixon https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5CtYoSSxomcC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

2 - http://bloody-disgusting.com/ 3 - http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/

Production• Horror films are incredibly detailed in their construction as they need to evoke negativity, this can be done

with a simple negative element however horror films use this and much more detailed and subliminal methods for instance

• Low lighting tends to be used often during the main scenes of films for example during the ending of Saw V the only lighting used is that omitted from the coffin and the light above the room making the scene seem incredibly dark which in turn reflects the nature of the scene as well as adding more negative connotations.[1]

• Classic horror films such as Halloween (1978) help us to study conventions and techniques of the genre, techniques of which are still used today.

• Specifically, Halloween’s biggest impact on horror was kick starting the Slasher sub genre of horror that lasted from the late 70s until the mid – late 90s.

• In today’s cinema short shots and jump cuts tend to be used in the Thriller genre in order to create a sense of excitement.

• Over the years the shot length has dramatically shortened which has impacted the thriller genre in a large way.

• When comparing the shot lengths in a classic Thriller (Rear Window – 1954) and a recent Thriller (The Bourne Ultimatum – 2007) we see drastic differences. During the thrill sequences Rear Window has an average shot length of approximately 2 – 3 seconds[2][3] while The Bourne Ultimatum has an average shot length of sub 1 second, with some shots lasting as little as 0.4 seconds.[4][5] 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAZ7Xob7qfQ

2 - http://www.cinemetrics.lv/movie.php?movie_ID=3166 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ez6dw3ywcc 4 - http://www.cinemetrics.lv/movie.php?movie_ID=22465 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLt7lXDCHQ0

2nd Draft Report

By Liam Allan

Audience• Observing age ratings of both the Thriller and Horror genre I have found that

I will be appealing to an older audience[1][2] due to the nature of the two genres (mostly the Horror).

• However, a younger audience (though not strictly legal) will exist, a well known example of this occurring was the rise and fall of the video nasty in the 1980s in which young people were able to access explicit films with ease.

• Because of the age rating I am able to have a large amount of freedom which would not necessarily be available in other genres however my work can not be too disturbing as horror films have been censored in the past, two well know examples are: the Human Centipede II (2011) which saw the BBFC claim that “no amount of cuts would allow the film an age certificate”[3] and Cannibal Holocaust (1980) which wasn’t given an age classification in the UK until 2011 with one cut of a scene that involved real animal cruelty.[4][5]

1 - http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/halloween-1978 2 - http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/ring-20013 - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jun/06/human-centipede-sequel-bbfc 4 - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/sep/15/cannibal-holocaust 5 - http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/cannibal-holocaust-4

Market• Many films exist across both Horror and Thriller genres due to their incredibly

long history, diverse subjects and mainstream popularity.• Horror had origins in the 1890s[1], the earliest known horror film being Le

Manior du Diable (1986) by George Melies[4]. Horror still has a very large following today which can be observed online by looking at fan websites[2][3]. The Thriller had its origins in the 1920s – 30s thanks to Alfred Hitchcock, early Thriller films include: The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Lodger etc. Over time the two genres have essentially merged, this can be seen through films such as The Purge, Cabin in the Woods. This means that the genre can cover any topic so long as it excites and or scares.

• Although the Thriller and Horror have mostly merged Thriller only films still do exist, for instance: Oldboy (2003), the Bourne films etc. These films are intended to thrill the audience as appose to evoke negativity in them.

1 – Chapter 1 of A History of Horror by Wheeler W Dixon https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5CtYoSSxomcC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

2 - http://bloody-disgusting.com/ 3 - http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/ 4 - https://hannahandharriet.wordpress.com/2013/10/21/george-melies-le-manoir-du-diable-first-known-horror-movie/

Production• Horror films are incredibly detailed in their construction as they need to evoke negativity, this can be done

very simply with an obvious on screen scare however the best horror films build up their scares in subliminal and subtle ways.

• Low lighting tends to be used often during the main scenes of horror films for example during the ending of Saw V the only lighting used is that omitted from the coffin and the light above the room making the scene seem incredibly dark which in turn reflects the nature of the scene as well as adding more negative connotations.[1]

• Classic horror films such as Halloween (1978) help us to study conventions and techniques of the genre, techniques of which are still used today.

• Specifically, Halloween’s biggest impact on horror was kick starting the Slasher sub genre of horror that lasted from the late 70s until the mid – late 90s.

• In today’s cinema short shots and jump cuts tend to be used in the Thriller genre in order to create a sense of excitement.

• Over the years the shot length has dramatically shortened which has impacted the thriller genre in a large way.

• When comparing the shot lengths in a classic Thriller (Rear Window – 1954) and a recent Thriller (The Bourne Ultimatum – 2007) we see drastic differences. During the thrill sequences Rear Window has an average shot length of approximately 2 – 3 seconds[2][3] while The Bourne Ultimatum has an average shot length of sub 1 second, with some shots lasting as little as 0.4 seconds.[4][5] 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAZ7Xob7qfQ

2 - http://www.cinemetrics.lv/movie.php?movie_ID=3166 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ez6dw3ywcc 4 - http://www.cinemetrics.lv/movie.php?movie_ID=22465 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLt7lXDCHQ0