Planning My Thriller - Ideas

I have now begun to start planning my actual thriller, today I have been writing down possible ideas to use. I came up with a few ideas and after asking around a few people and using the research I obtained,  I have came to the conclusion of using an original idea I had of a protagonist running away from a hit-man antagonist, who uses his car to catch and kill people as if he is hunting.

Preliminary Task

This is my preliminary task which was filmed and edited by me and others so that I could learn the basic techniques needed to make my final film, it was very useful learning how to setup the cameras and equipment, make areas available to film and also chose certain angles and film them too see how they worked. After getting the shots it was also extremely useful to start using Final Cut Pro to cut, organise and eventually finalise the short film. In general the preliminary task was extremely useful for me and should help in making my film.

Questionnaire Results

The following are the results of each of the questions that I included in my questionnaire:

1) The Results of this question are to be concealed so as not to invade people's privacy, I did however ask 6 people and got a wide range of names all of whom were not at all related.

2) I got exactly 3 males and 3 females to take part in the questionnaire.

3) Out of the six participants there were three participants in the 10 - 20 range, one in the 21 - 30 range, one in 31 - 40 range and lastly one in the 41 - 50 range.

4) The following were people's choices of the last thriller movies seen: Se7en (was chosen twice), Hannibal, The Orphan, The Dark Knight Rises and The Da Vinci Code were all stated.

5) Everyone stated how much they enjoyed the thriller they watched, There were absolutely no bad comments on any of the movies seen.

6) Thriller sub-genre's that were peoples favourite from the questionnaire were: Psychological thrillers (chosen three times), Action thrillers (chosen twice) and Conspiracy thrillers was chosen.

7) There was a wide range of answers for this question including Da Vinci Code, Reservoir Dogs and Shutter Island.

8) Question 8 was very interesting as it showed me what people enjoyed in a thriller and there was a wide range of results, ultimately each option got at least one person voting it as the most important part of a thriller, with suspense actually getting two votes as the most important. However Puzzles and mind games was voted the least important three times! As well as emotion getting two votes as the least important. Overall and in average people put the list into the following order with Suspense the most important, action, horror, Emotion and then Puzzles/mind games getting voted the least important.

9) There was also a wide range of answers for the participants favourite thriller actor: Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Nicholas Cage and Christian Bale were all chosen. I will take this into account by looking at what movies they have been and trying to see why they make that role popular.

10) The following are directors which were voted the best by the participants of my questionnaire: Christopher Nolan (for Dark Knight), Quentin Tarantino (for Reservoir dogs and Kill Bill) and Marry Harron (for American Psycho). Again I will have a look at the movies made by these directors and possibly use some of their techniques in my own movie.

11) The results of this question were not only very useful for me but also quite surprising and informative. I believed most people would chose the option of getting straight into the action with no credits. I was surprised to find most people actually chose a build up to the action with short credits. The other less popular option was long credits and then the least popular option was no credits and straight into action. This means I should put short credits onto a build up of action to really please yet also grab the attention of my audience.

Overall I found doing the questionnaire very useful and informative and it has definitely influenced what I would like to do for my final intro of a thriller.

Potential Target Audience - Questionnaire

The following is a questionnaire that I have made to gather more information on the type of film I would like to make:

1) What is your name?

2) What is your gender? (Please circle)
    Male     Female

3) What is your age range? (Please circle)
    Under 10   10-20   21-30   31-40   41-50   Over 50

4) Name the last thriller you watched?

5) What did you think about that thriller and why?

6) What is your favourite thriller sub genre?

7) What is your favourite thriller in that sub genre?

8) What is the most important part of a thriller? (Please rank from 1 being highest importance to 5)
    Suspense     Action      Emotion      Horror      Puzzles/mind games

9) Favourite thriller actor and why?

10) Favourite thriller director and why?

11) What characteristics of a thriller's intro do you prefer? (Please circle)
      Long credits    Short credits      No credits       Build up     Straight into   action

Film Classification Ratings - R18

What does R18 mean?

The R18 category is a special and legally-restricted classification primarily for explicit works of consenting sex or strong fetish material involving adults. Films may only be shown to adults in specially licensed cinemas, and video works may be supplied to adults only in licensed sex shops. R18 videos may not be supplied by mail order.

The following information on film ratings was obtained from the BBFC website.

Film Classification Ratings - 18

What does the 18 symbol mean?

Films rated 18 are for adults. No-one under 18 is allowed to see an 18 film at the cinema or buy / rent an 18 rated video. No 18 rated works are suitable for children.

Are there any limits on what sort of theme a work can have at 18?

No theme is prohibited at 18. Adults are free to choose their own entertainment provided the material is not illegal or potentially harmful, so it is possible some themes tackled at 18 may be offensive even to some adult viewers.

What sort of issues might I find in an 18 film or video?

18 works are for adults and can contain strong issues such as:

•   Very strong violence.
•   Frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***') and / or very strong language (e.g. ‘c***’).
•   Strong portrayals of sexual activity.
•   Scenes of sexual violence.
•   Strong horror.
•   Strong blood and gore.
•   Real sex (in some circumstances).
•   Discriminatory language and behaviour.

How much strong language can there be in an 18?

There is no limit on the number of uses of strong (e.g. 'f***') or even very strong language (e.g. ‘c***’) which can be passed at 18. Uses could be aggressive, directed, frequent or accompanied by strong violence.

What about discriminatory terms?

There may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language at 18, and the work could explore themes relating to discrimination.
Though a work as a whole must not be in breach of any relevant legislation, it is possible for discriminatory language or themes to be the main focus of the work, and for main characters to engage in discriminatory behaviour.

How much sex and nudity is allowed at 18?

There can be strong and detailed portrayals of sex at 18, including full nudity. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.
Very strong, crude and explicit sex references are permitted at 18.
An 18 film or video might also contain depictions of real sex, as long as the film or video is not a sex work.

What are sex works?

Sex works are works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation. Sex works containing only material which may be simulated are generally passed 18. Those containing clear images of real sex, strong fetish material, sexually explicit animated images, or other very strong sexual images will be confined to the R18 category. Material which is unacceptable in a sex work at R18 is also unacceptable in a sex work at 18.

What about sex education films?

Where sex material genuinely seeks to inform and educate in matters such as human sexuality or safer sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may be permitted.

Can there be strong violence?

Yes, at 18 violence can be strong and be portrayed with strong detail. There may even be dwelling on the infliction of pain or injury, or scenes of strong sadistic or sexual violence.
The strongest gory images are permitted at this category.

What about horror films?

At 18, horror films may contain very strong horror, gore or sustained threat.

Can you see drugs in an 18?

Yes. At 18 drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse.

What about dangerous behaviour or things teens or other viewers might copy?

Though 18 films and videos may cover difficult and strong subjects and themes, harm is still a consideration. Very dangerous or criminal behaviour (for example, behaviour which if copied poses a credible harm risk) may be cut.

If adults can watch what they want, what might be cut from an 18 work?

In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC’s public consultations and The Human Rights Act 1998, the BBFC will not normally override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment.
However, cuts are occasionally made to 18 rated films and DVDs. Intervention is most likely in the following areas:

• Where the material is in breach of the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence.
• Where material or treatment appears to us to risks harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals. This may include portrayals of sexual violence which might, for example, make rape this violence look appealing, reinforce the suggestion that victims enjoy sexual violence or which invite viewer complicity in sexual violence.
• Where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context. Such images may be appropriate in R18 works and, in ‘sex works’, would normally be confined to that category.

In the case of video works, which may be more accessible to younger viewers, intervention may be more frequent than for cinema films.

Film Classification Ratings - 15

What does the 15 symbol mean?

No-one under 15 is allowed to see a 15 film at the cinema or buy/rent a ‘15 rated video. 15 rated works are not suitable for children under 15 years of age.

Are there any limits on what sort of theme a work can have at 15?

No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds.

What might I see in a 15 rated film or video?

Any of the following:

•  Strong violence.
•  Frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***').
•  Portrayals of sexual activity.
•  Strong verbal references to sex.
•  Sexual nudity.
•  Brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence.
•  Discriminatory language or behaviour.
•  Drug taking.

How much strong language is allowed in a 15?

There could potentially be a great deal. At 15 there is no upper limit on the number of uses of strong language (e.g. ‘f***’).
Occasionally there may be uses of the strongest terms (e.g. 'c***'), depending on the manner in which they are used, who is using the language, its frequency and any special contextual justification. However, continued or aggressive use will not normally be passed 15.

What about discriminatory or offensive terms?

There may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language, and the work could explore themes relating to this.
However, at 15 the work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour.

How much sex and nudity is allowed at 15?

At 15 sexual activity can be portrayed, but usually without strong detail. Some sex scenes can be quite long at this category.
Though nudity may be allowed in a sexual context there will usually be no strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.
There can be strong references to sex and sexual behaviour, but especially strong or crude references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context.

Sex and sex references are treated the same irrespective of sexuality

Can there be strong violence?

Yes, at 15 violence may be strong. It should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury, however, and the strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.
Strong sadistic violence is also unlikely to be acceptable.

What about sexual violence?

There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence (for example descriptions of rape or sexual assault in a courtroom scene or in victim testimony) but any portrayal depiction of sexual violence must be discreet and justified by context.

What about horror works?

At 15 there can be strong threat and horror as long as there is no sustained focus on sadistic or sexualised threat.

Can you see drugs in a 15 rated film or video?

At 15 drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse (for example, through instructional detail).
The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances like aerosols or solvents is unlikely to be acceptable at 15.

What about dangerous behaviour or things teens might copy?

We consider the risk of potential harm to impressionable teenagers. For example, dangerous behaviour such as hanging, suicide and self-harming should not dwell on detail which could be copied.
Whether the depiction of easily accessible weapons is acceptable will depend on factors such as realism, context and setting.