Storyboard - First Draft: 'Bloodline'

My group are now at the stage in our coursework where we are planning what we are going to do and getting organised. Firstly, we had to use our thriller synopsis research to create multiple ideas for what our short film might be about, then choose one idea and develop it. After deliberating we decided to make a crime/psychological thriller hybrid with the project title ‘Bloodline’ lasting around 1:40 minutes (17 shots). Our thoughts and ideas went onto paper through a screenplay and a storyboard which conveys the main idea of what the film is and what each scene will portray. 

The first four shots introduce the audience to the two main characters of the film and it gives little information about them – there is a correlation between both of them and the score indicates that it is a tense and mysterious link which creates an enigma at the very start to intrigue the audience and play with their emotions as part of the conventions of a thriller.  

 

It is now certain that there is a connection between the two but the audience are still unsure of why what is being shown on screen is actually portrayed. 

  

This section now is centred on dramatic irony by showing that this smartly dressed man is unaware of what transpires around him. This creates suspense because the audience do not know when he will die or what the reason is for his inevitable death. 

 

The final part shows the title of the film on an over-black background which will be shown in a red font and it might be possibly accompanied with non-diegetic dialogue. We had second thoughts about the voiceover because it makes the title sequence appear as though it is a trailer which is not what we are aiming for. 

This storyboard will help us when it comes to the filming because it will act as a shot by shot guide which will act as a schedule which we can follow in post-production as well. Moreover, it reminds us as cinematographers what type of shots must be portrayed (e.g. close up, medium shot, long shot) as well as the content in the frame (i.e. mise en scene).

Final Script for "Bloodline"

Final Draft

INT. JARED'S ROOM. DAY

JARED is meditating and preparing his weapon

JARED

Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage

INT. MICHAEL'S ROOM. DAY

MICHAEL is casually reading the newspaper

INT. JARED'S ROOM. DAY

JARED is sharpening his knife. He is leaving his house and heads towards MICHAEL'S house.

EXT. VICTIM'S APARTMENT BUILDING. DAY

JARED presses a button and is then let in 

INTERCOM

Hello. Who's there?

JARED

It's time.

INT. MICHAEL'S APARTMENT BUILDING STAIRCASE. DAY

JARED is slowly going up the stairs

INT. MICHAEL'S ROOM. DAY

MICHAEL is preparing to go out to work

INT. MICHAEL'S APARTMENT BUILDING TOP OF STAIRCASE. DAY

JARED sneakily and cautiously enters MICHAEL'S house and eventually, his room.

INT. MICHAEL'S ROOM. DAY

JARED sneaks up on MICHAEL whilst he is reading and takes out a knife. He then covers MICHAEL'S mouth with his hand

JARED

You can't escape death!!

Changes in the script

After analysing the first draft that my group decided to make some changes (shown above)

From the first draft the characters now have names instead of being antagonists and protagonists. This is due to actually discussing and thinking about what the names are going to be, and actually going into detail later on for the script. We also decided to include several other shots of Michael which constantly cross cuts between him and Jared. This was done in an attempt to build even more tension and suspense. Additionally, from the first version of the script to the final version we have added more enigmas to the opening sequence such as why is he going to kill this particular person and why is he meditating at the start. All this aims to create tension and suspense which is why the changes were added. Finally, by adding more scenes of Jared entering the house which would be prolonged instead of just appearing at the house it also helps make the audience be "on the edge of their seats". By adding in the speech of Jared at the beginning of the script it makes the character seem more mysterious and quite psychotic when compared to the first draft.

In terms of the audience age rating the chosen age rating is 15. The opening sequence fully fits into that area. The use of the obvious weapon at the start of the script goes into the age rating, it shows the prolonged threat that is imminent throughout all of the opening sequence. With the 15 age rating we as a group were able to include the prolonged threat which doesn't have to be resolved quickly compared to that of a 12 or PG age rating which has to be limited or solved quickly. That is why the script above fits with the audience as a lot of the content that is found wouldn't be allowed in younger age ratings. But also for the mid teenager audience it fits into some of the things which might interest them based from the research that was done.

The practicality of the opening sequence from the script shows that everything was fit for purpose. The dialogue that is presented by Jared isn't too long which creates a sense of mystery and suspense. We as a group have decided that camera work will be the main focus of suspense and tension which is why in the script there is not a lot of talking. 

First Draft Script For "Bloodline"

First Draft

INT. ANTAGONIST'S ROOM. DAY

The ANTAGONIST is preparing for murder by getting his weapon ready.

INT. VICTIM'S ROOM. DAY

The VICTIM is carrying on his day as a normal person would normally do. He is reading the newspaper then looks at his phone to check his messages.

INT. ENTRANCE/EXIT HALL. DAY

The ANTAGONIST is leaving his house with his weapon

EXT. VICTIM'S HOUSE. DAY

The ANTAGONIST is sneaking into the VICTIM'S house

INT. VICTIM'S HOUSE. DAY

The ANTAGONIST stealthily enters VICTIM'S room and kills him

BLACK SCREEN

ANTAGONIST

You Can't Escape Death

"Bloodline"

Synopsis for the film

For our film, as a group we decided to choose the sub-genre of crime thriller which also contains certain  elements of a psychological thriller.

The Synopsis for our film is that a mysterious murderer is after a certain person for unknown reasons. That person is unaware of what will become of him in the future. The plan of the murderer is in affect and nothing will be able to stop him from achieving his end goal. 

For the rest of the film the murderer eventually has to cover up what he has done, whilst covering up certain people who get suspicious of his actions and presence. The whole idea of the murderer and the synopsis of the films came from researching all different types of films around the sub-genre we chose and then deciding from there what the synopsis could possibly be. 

Thriller Sub-genres synopsis

Part of my coursework is to create the opening sequence of a thriller film. In this post I am going to talk about the type of thriller sub-genre that we may or may not use given the current resources we have in the school.

Psychological Thriller
Psychological thriller is a specific sub-genre of the broad ranged thriller with heavy focus on the unstable emotional states of characters, in combination with mystery and thriller. However, it often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre, along with the typical traits of the thriller genre. In addition to drama and mystery, many psychological thrillers contain elements of, and often overlap with, the horror genre, particularly psychological horror.

American Psycho




  Characters are no longer reliant on physical strength to overcome their brutish enemies (which is often the case in typical action-thrillers), but rather are reliant on their mental resources, whether it be by battling wits with a formidable opponent or by battling for equilibrium in the character's own mind. The suspense created by psychological thrillers often comes from two or more characters preying upon one another's minds, either by playing deceptive games with the other or by merely trying to demolish the other's mental state.


Crime Thriller 

Crime thriller: This particular genre is a hybrid type of both crime films and thrillers that offers a suspenseful account of a successful or failed crime or crimes. These films often focus on the criminal(s) rather than a policeman. Central topics of these films include serial killers/murders, robberies, chases, shootouts, heists and double-crosses. Some examples of crime thrillers involving murderers include, Seven, No Country for Old Men, Silence of the Lambs, Untraceable, Mindhunters, Kiss the Girls, Along Came a Spider", Collateral and Copycat. Examples of crime thrillers involving heists or robberies includes The Asphalt Jungle, The Score, Rififi, Entrapment and The Killing.

Spy Thriller

Spy thriller: In which the protagonist is generally a government agent who must take violent action against agents of a rival government or (in recent years) terrorists. The subgenre usually deals with the subject of fictional espionage in a realistic way (such as the adaptations of John Le Carré). It is a significant aspect of British cinema, with leading British directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Carol Reed making notable contributions and many films set in the British Secret Service. The spy film usually fuses the action and science fiction genres, however, some spy films fall safely in the action genre rather than thriller (e.i. James Bond), especially those having frequent shootouts, car chases and such (see the spy entry in the subgenres of action film). Thrillers within this subgenre include Spy Game, Hanna, Traitor, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Tourist, The Parallax View, The Tailor of Panama, Taken, Unknown, The Recruit, The Debt, The Good Shepherd and Three Days of the Condor

Conspiracy thriller

Conspiracy thriller: In which the hero/heroine confronts a large, powerful group of enemies whose true extent only s/he recognizes. The Chancellor Manuscript and The Aquitaine Progression by Robert Ludlum fall into this category, as do films such as Awake, Snake Eyes, The Da Vinci Code, Edge of Darkness, Absolute Power, Marathon Man, In the Line of Fire, Capricorn One, and JFK.

 

Legal Thriller

Legal thriller- A suspense film in which in which the major characters are lawyers and their employees. The system of justice itself is always a major part of these works, at times almost functioning as one of the characters. Examples include, The Pelican Brief, Presumed Innocent, The Jury, The Kappa File, The Lincoln Lawyer, Hostile Witness and Silent Witness.

This is a list I made of possible thriller subgenres we can incorporate elements of into our opening sequence. This due to the amount of enigmas available for use, this which helps us plenty in creating suspense and showing that there is more to be explained later on in the film.

Synopsis ideas

Our group had to come up with a number of synopsis ideas, so that we would have a variety of choices to choose from as drafts then, later, choose one and develop it as a final idea. Below are three ideas that we each came up with as a group.

Murder mystery - The purpose of the murder. A man is killed in a gun crime shoot-down between two gangs. The protagonist tries to uncover who were these people and what were their ulterior motifs for this crime.

Money situation - Money handover between two groups of people the enigma is a simple question of "who done it?" Two gangs in a broad city exchanging illegal goods between themselves until an unfortunate man gets caught between and they gun him down as a form of contract fulfilling. With knives and pens he paid the price.

Game of wits - Antagonist sets up traps and riddles for the protagonist to solve, otherwise a hostage will  die. Set in a rural location were a standard police officer gets intertwined with a "riddler" who keeps setting up traps for him and puzzles, if he does not solve these riddles hostages will die. "Blood shall be spilt"

Ideas for Thriller Synopsis

For the opening sequence, a certain type of sub-genre has to be used. This could range from political thriller all the way to sci-fi thriller. However, the problem is that despite knowing this there is little knowledge that i know about these types of thriller films. By researching and looking up for synopses for different sub-genres of thriller, i am able to get a rough idea of how the thriller opening will run. By using this it will greatly help my group when we come to actually creating the opening.

1) Science-Fiction Thriller
The sci-fi sub-genre for thriller is one example of a sub-genre that the thriller opening sequence could be. This particular sub-genre contains elements which can be considered as being futuristic, whether it being where it is set in the future, or if there are futuristic objects such as talking robots. The use of enigmas is a key part to play here as usually the protagonist will not know what is happening or why something particular is targeting them.
An example of a Sci-fi thriller is Minority Report. It is set in the year 2054 where crime no longer exists due to the government being able to arrest people before they commit the crime. However, when John Anderton (The Protagonist) finds out that he has been identified as a future killer for someone he has never met, he becomes a fugitive and goes on the run to try and uncover the truth.

Below is the trailer which shows some of the attributes of a Sci-fi Film.

For the specific audiences that i am targeting which is in their teenage years (15+) this is a good sub-genre that could  possibly be used for the opening sequence. It has elements of an action film as well which can keep people interested, but also asks the question of why is he getting targeted. This could be used in the opening sequence. However, the main problem with this the whole sub-genre as a whole. As it is set in the future, with futuristic equipment, as we don't have the time or the money to be able to produce these props. Going with the sci-fi film would probably not be the best choice. The end of the trailer and the screenshot above shows the equipment which would not be possible to get.



2) Supernatural Thriller 
The next area of a sub-genre that could be used is a supernatural thriller. As the title says this type of sub-genre contains elements that are beyond what humans would normally see. This could range from ghosts to zombies. Again the use of enigmas is key to these films, which shows that in the opening sequence that my group does enigmas should be used throughout which raises questions and suspense.

For example, a supernatural thriller is Gothika. The Protagonist finds herself in a situation where after her accident, she wakes to find she is convicted of murdering her husband. At the same time, she is haunted by a ghost, whilst she tries to find out the truth about her husband and his death, with devastating consequences.
For the audiences that i am targeting this is a good type of sub-genre to go about. It raises several questions as to why she is convicted of murdering her husband, and who is the ghost. All this is relevant to the 15+ audience who would be more willing to watch that, instead of someone who was younger such as 12+
Supernatural thriller therefore, potentially has a chance to be used in the opening sequence. However, just like the sci-fi thriller there is also one problem in terms of technology and equipment. For supernatural, ghosts are usually something beyond this world who seem like ordinary humans but in fact are not. In terms of costume and design for this, my group would not have enough time to create something like this. So as as result this would not a possible decision to make. Without this we would be leaving the supernatural sub-genre and entering something else. However, this could also be countered by not actually using ghosts but using make up and costumes to make it look like a ghost but as before, we are limited on all of this.

3) Romantic Thriller
The next sub-genre that could be considered is romantic thriller. As the title suggests it is usually about two people who fall in love but face struggles which in someway or another causes terror around them. Romantic thrillers is one of the areas of thriller that is hard to do where a lot of challenges to the conventions would be made. For example, in a romantic film, a church might be marriage, whereas in a romantic thriller it might mean death.

An example of a romantic thriller is Safe Haven. It is about a women moving to North Carilona who becomes attracted to a man and falls in love with him. But as she falls in love she struggles with the dark secret that she has that still haunts her life. She has to choose either a safe life or one with risks, with devastating chances. For the opening sequence, potentially it could start off in a non-linear format suggesting that the person did something in the past or something in the future to someone that they did love, which would set the whole plot in motion. Despite this, even though the audience targeted is 15+ i am aiming for the action/crime area for both genders. This sort of thriller would be more suited to girls who might want to see this film instead of men. This is not the only problem however. In the group there are no females present therefore, to create a romantic thriller would not be possible.

4) Crime Thriller 
The sub-genre of crime for thriller is solving crime that is put against the protagonist. Usually the antagonist of the film will have done something wrong such as mass murder and the protagonist has to solve it. The suspense part is that no one knows what is going to happen. Usually there is a situation where the protagonist has to make a choice between two people which results in the death of one. But overall, the film is usually about stopping the antagonist

An example of a crime thriller film is Inception. It is about a thief who after all he has done has lost everything that he has once loved in his life. Now he has a chance to get his life back but he has to do the one thing that is impossible. Inception. In this film the protagonist is shown to face challenges that are put up against him, however he has no clue who by. The protagonist has to try and do inception, before he actually gets found out. This is a good type of sub-genre to look at. The standard "good vs evil" whilst simple is still effective and to my age audience 15+ it would be most likely to be most successful when comparing it to others. Also when actually filming it would not be as hard as the other sub-genres that i have discussed to actually film. This type of sub-genre is the best to do as it is the easiest to actually include all of the suspense in the opening sequences. A non-linear format could potentially be used, to add more suspense to the opening sequence.

BBFC ratings and film classifications

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films within the United Kingdom. It has a statutory requirement to classify videos, DVDs and some video games under the Video Recordings Act 2010.

Social profiling
Social profiling is the method where they distinguish the types of films that would appeal to target audiences, referring to their status in society. The profile names used in this is system is: A,B,C1,C2,D,E. A being at the top of the society regarding academia's such as doctors, teachers, lawyers etc. E being the lowest regarding the unemployed and uneducated. For example people who are in their 20's and unemployed would    have different tastes in films in comparison with a 60+ year old pensioner.

Demographic Profiling
Demographic profiling is the categorisation of film audiences regarding things such as: age, gender,race,location. This is because a person who is a teenager would rather find more interest in action films rather than a 50 year old who would find more interest in  films such as film noire's etc.

Psychographic profiling
Psychographics is a concept that most people are not entirely aware of. It may sound complicated but it is actually a lot simpler to implement in your business once you gain an understanding of how it impacts on your target market. Psychographics involves in depth research about a subject or a group of subject based on the following factors:

• Activity, Interest, Opinion (AIO)
  
• Attitudes
  
• Personality
  
• Values
  
• Characteristics
  
  
  BBFC Film ratings  
  
  The U symbol stands for Universal. A U film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. However, it is impossible to predict what might upset a particular child, especially at this lower end of the category range.
  
  A U film may include brief fight scenes or moments where characters are placed in danger. However, moments of emotional stress or threat will be quickly resolved and the outcome will be reassuring.
  There may be brief scary scenes and moments where the characters are placed in danger. As with violence, however, these scenes will be balanced by reassuring elements, such as comic interludes or music.
  ‘Baddie’ characters may carry or use weapons, but there will be no emphasis on these. Child or ‘hero’ characters are unlikely to use any kind of weapon outside, for example, historical settings.
  Potentially dangerous or imitable behaviour, particularly those which come across as safe or fun, will not be present.
  
   PG Rating
  
   PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for younger children. A PG film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content might upset younger or more sensitive children.
  
  No theme is prohibited at PG, as long as it is treated in a manner appropriate to the category. PG works can explore challenging issues such as domestic violence, bereavement or racism.
  In a PG work, illegal or antisocial behaviour, such as bullying, will not be condoned or seen to go unchallenged. Smoking and drinking will not be promoted or glamorised and if child characters are seen smoking or drinking, there should be a clear message that this is bad. If drugs are mentioned or seen, a PG work should emphasise that they are harmful.
  
  12A Rating
  
  12A means that anyone aged 12 or over can go and see the film unaccompanied. The A stands for 'accompanied' and 'advisory'. Children younger than 12 may see the film if they are accompanied by an adult (eg someone over the age of 18), who must watch the film with them.
  
  The overall tone of a film or DVD, and the way it makes the audience feel may affect the classification. For example, a work which has a very dark or unsettling tone which could disturb the audience would be less likely to be passed 12A even if the individual issues in the film were considered acceptable under the BBFC guidelines. Similarly, if a work is particularly positive or reassuring this may stop it being pushed up a category from 12A to 15.
  
  15 Rating
  

  

   No-one under 15 is allowed to see a 15 film at the cinema or buy/rent a ‘15’ rated DVD.  15 rated works are not suitable for children under 15 years of age.
  
  15 works are stronger than 12 or 12A rated works and could include any of the following:
  
  • strong violence
  • frequent strong language
  • 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
  
  
  18 Rating
  

  

  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 DVD. No 18 rated works are suitable for children.
  
  
  18 works are for adults and can contain strong issues such as:
• very strong violence
• frequent strong language and/or very strong language
• strong portrayals of sexual activity
• scenes of sexual violence
• strong horror
• strong blood and gore
• real sex (in some circumstances)
• discriminatory language and behaviour

The age we agreed on was 15 because people of about 15 and over would like the idea of a psychological/crime thriller and the social profiling of the audiences that we have decided are the most applicable to our film are C1, C2, D, E because the working class and slightly upper class skilled workers would enjoy the film as it different and tries to change the standard protagonist vs antagonist but in this film the main character is the protagonist whom we follow.

Thriller Genre Short Film: Synopsis Ideas - Research

As part of my coursework I have to produce an opening sequence to a short thriller genre film. This will be completed based on everything I have covered so far which includes the preliminary task and mainly research. When it comes to the context of the film itself, my group and I will have to consider what type of thriller it will be because there are many sub-genres, as well as what the plot will be (taking into account that only 2 minutes can be portrayed).

Outline of a typical:

Action/Adventure Thriller

This type of film uses the conventions of the thriller genre to create suspense that draws into the plot of the film. However, it is more concentrated and heavily reliant on the actual thrill rather than the journey leading up to that point. The directors will take advantage of any opportunities that may arise, such as a twist in the plot or an action code to portray a high level explosion or a daring car chase.

An example of this is the film ‘Live Free or Die Hard’ (2007) where the plot of the film is that the protagonist, NYPD detective John McClane must take on a cyber terrorist organisation before they systematically shut down the United States. It contains elements of suspense and tension mainly because of the fact that it is a race against time and he has to face obstacles along the way which of course must be filled with exciting action sequences like a shootout.  

This is demonstrated below through the trailer: 

   

This would not be a likely choice of genre for the film as my group does not have the capabilities or time to carry out action sequences e.g. to get guns for a small shootout or obtain explosives for a single shot. In other words, it is not practical and it is supposed to be the opening sequence where it introduces the film rather than a trailer which highlights and glorifies the action sequences. 

Science-Fiction Thriller

This is similar to the previous sub-genre in terms of how the thrill is portrayed but it contains the theme of science-fiction which includes aliens, robots, futuristic settings etc. Carrying on from this point, this genre makes use of special effects such as ‘CGI’ (Computer Generated Imagery) to show things that can’t be shown in real life and makes it look realistic at the same time. Nonetheless, when it comes to suspense and tension, the directors employ a different technique and prefer to entice the audiences through enigma codes and sometimes dramatic irony.

For example, the film ‘AVP: Alien vs. Predator’ (2004) is set on the plot that two extraterrestrial races are at war with one another and humanity is caught in the battleground. Scientists go exploring an isolated anomaly and get more than what they were expecting so now they must escape and warn humanity of the coming danger. The conventions of suspense and tension are used mainly through the fact that they are up against an unknown threat meaning that anything can happen.

An idea of the film and its content is shown through the trailer: 

  

This is not going to a good choice for the short film for the same reasons as the last one; it is not practical for amateur AS media studies students to try and utilise special effects or find moderate costumes for a 2 minute film. 

Espionage Thriller

This brand of sub-genre is similar to the previous two genres but this one looks more into the development of the plot and context of the film. In a way it is parallel to mystery films that are trying to uncover the bigger picture rather than focusing on individual events within a film. The film sets out to convey the protagonist as cool and suave which others wish to aspire towards.

Evidently, ‘Casino Royale’ (2006) tells the story of protagonist James Bond (agent 007) whose mission is to win a poker game at The Casino Royale in Montenegro to stop a criminal (who works as a banker to the terrorists organisations of the world) from financing crime and terrorism across the globe. Enigma codes and plot twists are key components that add thrills to the film.

The synopsis of the film is given through the trailer: 

  

This is a possible choice as a genre for the short film because it is more about the plot and the journey leading up to the climax, which is suitable for an opening sequence as the role of it is to introduce the film as a whole. The scene for the film can be set easily and be accomplished. 

Political/Conspiracy Thriller

This sub-genre goes in depth about the plot which is the driving force of the film because it is about more than the characters themselves. They are usually trying to uncover the truth whether it be because they are inquisitive or because they have to, e.g. to prove someone’s innocence. This is similar to the prior subgenre in terms of the bigger picture for the plot.

The film ‘Patriot Games’ (1992) is a classic example of this because it is about a CIA analyst (Jack Ryan) who interferes with an IRA assassination on the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (consequently meaning the renegade faction targets him and his family). This makes use of the theme of revenge which fuels the desire to get equal – at first it was about politics (which is unknown) but he wants vengeance.

The trailer below goes into more detail: 

  

This genre could be a possibility for the film through the fact that enigmas could be used as part of the opening sequence to draw the audience into something that could have a bigger meaning. Though I don’t believe this is a good idea to use this because it would require a lot of thought into the plot to develop a story that is on the same calibre as those sort of films – given that the coursework has a deadline this does not seem likely. 

Crime/Mystery/Noir Thriller

This form of sub-genre centres on the protagonist who tries to solve the case caused by the antagonist. In simpler terms, it is a portrayal of a game of cat and mouse or the hero versus the villain. Furthermore, the theme of justice is usually shown in these types of films due to the fact that antagonist must pay for his crimes and the protagonist is the only person able to do so.

‘The Dark Knight’ (2008) exhibits all of the elements described and does it in such a way that draws in the audience through the conventions of a thriller to spice up the plot of the crime. Caped crusader, Batman (Bruce Wayne) must bring an end to antagonist, Joker who plans on turning Gotham City in on itself through a cleverly and fiendishly thought out plan that Batman must solve. In a genre such as this, all conventions of the thriller genre are used to up the ante in assisting the plot of a genre that is known for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.

Here is the trailer expressing the characteristics described:  

  

This is an ideal genre idea for my short film as I can portray a main protagonist and antagonist that are battling it out in a game of wits and the best man will win. This is a practical concept that can be achieved with enough thought and effort and I also think that this is the type of genre that my target audience of age rating 15 would enjoy the most. 

Historical Thriller

The nature of this sub-genre is set in a historical period of time, usually an important event that occurred where the film focuses on the protagonist’s life in some way e.g. the film portrays what a person’s life would be like back then but it adds the twist of something else which is another sub-genre that is incorporated into this one.

In this case, ‘Enemy at the Gates’ (2001) is set in WWII during the battle of Stalingrad where a hero sniper must make his stand at the allied occupied city to prevent the loss of vital territory that could hold the key to winning the war. This film makes use of the factor of perspective though the fact that the audiences can understand what it was like to serve your country in the army during the war.

This is developed further in the trailer:  

  

This is not the best choice of synopsis ideas for my short film because a genre like this requires an incredible level of accuracy that is not available in terms of mise-en-scene for AS media studies students. It would not be possible to film, for example, a WWI film with a location that does not remotely look like a battlefield. 

Psychological/Supernatural Thriller

This variety of thriller is normally abstract and abnormal (compared to the other sub-genres) because it is trying to represent the mind and how in this type of film, the protagonist is lost with a broken psyche. The purpose of this is to make the audience feel similar to the way the character on screen does through things such as a nonlinear narrative, jump cuts and canted angles which almost create a sense of discomfort. There are also enigmas in terms of we (along with the protagonist) do not know what is real and what is in the mind.

A film in this genre is ‘Memento’ (2000) is about a man (Leonard Shelby) who suffers from short term memory loss who uses notes and tattoos to hunt down the man he thinks killed his wife. As the audience, we understand how his life must be and how he copes, especially in the situation with his dead wife. The overall enigma that is present here is the protagonist’s life which he can’t put into order since he can’t make new memories.

Below is a trailer that gives an idea about what this genre is like: 

  

This could be a candidate for the genre of the short film due to the fact that everything does not have to be explained right away - unanswered questions can be used to open the sequence to intrigue the audience even if the rest of the film will not be made. 

Romantic Thriller

This style revolves around a love interest between two protagonists (or more) who for some reason cannot be together but try to defy this however they can; e.g. an antagonist keeps them apart because of jealousy or the story of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. At some point in the film, the couple will get together, but something will cause them to go their separate ways since things are not working out, but then they realise that they were wrong and get back together.

‘The Adjustment Bureau’ (2011) is an example of this genre. The plot of the film is about a love affair between an electoral politician and an upcoming ballerina and which is affected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart - the overall moral conveyed is that true love conquers all. What makes this a thriller is through the fact that the audiences do not know who or what The Adjustment Bureau is and why it would intervene in such a matter.

The trailer below develops this further: 

  

In terms of plot, this would not work for my group’s short film because we would need a female love interest which we do not have and since that is the whole point of a romantic thriller, the synopsis of one is redundant.

The outlines of all these sub-genres show me what kind of synopsis ideas are used for each one and how I can incorporate them into my film. The plot shall be intriguing and desirable to follow because I will be using all the codes and conventions that a crime thriller utilises. This being said, I do not want to put so many enigmas in my film so that it becomes a brainteaser and does not bore audiences such as those who have critiqued ‘Inception’ (2010).