Iconic Thriller Directors! (6/12/2011)

I decided to write about some Iconic directors known for their thriller movies. 

I chose Alfred Hitchcock, David Fincher and Quentin Tarantino.

I have got my information from wikipedia, thriller bloggers.

ALFRED HITCHCOCK  

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13^th August 1899 – 29^th April 1980) was a well known British Film director well known for his iconic movie ideas. He was the person behind many of the thriller techniques widely used in thrillers today. He pioneered many of these techniques in suspense and psychological thriller genres. After he well established his career in silent films and early talkies in the UK, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood in 1956. His career spanned over half a century Hitchcock became fashioned for, for his directorial style. His use of camera made to move in a way to mimic a persons gaze. He also framed shots to maximise anxiety, fear, and empathy and used ‘innovative’ film editing. A theme known throughout Hitchcock’s is ‘fugitives on the run from the law alongside icy cold blonde female characters’. They also all have twist endings, violence, murder and crime.   His techniques are so established that no thriller film is complete without using one of his techniques. ‘Hitch’ as he was also known by has influenced many thriller directors such as Stanley Kubrick, Robert Zemeckis and better known Tim Burton. As another name of his, he truly is ‘the master of suspense’.

DAVID FINCHER

David Andrew Leo Fincher born August 28^th 1962. David Fincher is a well known American film and music video director. He is well known for his movies, seven (1995) The game (1997) Fight club (1999) Panic room (2002) and Zodiac (2007).

Fincher has received many awards for his movies. Fincher received academy award nominations foe best director for his movie, The curious case of Benjamin button in 2008. He recently was awarded a BAFTA for best director and a Golden globe for his film the social network. His recent movie was 2011’s The girl with the Dragoon Tattoo.

Fincher was a young aspiring film director, he began to shoot his own movies at the tender age of eight years old using a 8mm camera after being inspired by the movie Butch Cassidy and John the Sundance Kid. His first job was loading cameras and doing other work for John Korty at Korty films. He used this experience to climb the ladder to director instead of going to a film school. After working for John Korty he was hired by Industrial Light and Magic in 1983. Fincher worked on productions like twice upon a star, star wars: episode VI-return of the Jedi and Indiana Jones and the temple of doom.  In 1984 he left ILM to direct commercials for the American Cancer Society. His most controversial piece was a commercial showing a foetus smoking a cigarette. This lead to Fincher to the opportunity to direct the commentary The Beat of the Live Drum featuring Rick Springfield in 1985. Fincher later joined Propaganda Films to improve his directing skills. He then moved on to feature films.

David Fincher’s first feature movie was Alien 3 in 1992. The film received an Oscar for its visual effects the film was hit hard by critics reviews. Fincher went on to have disputes with 20^th Century Fox over script and budget issues. In the “director’s cut” Fincher went back to directing commercials and music videos, during this time Fincher directed the Grammy Award winning track ‘Love Is Strong’ by The Rolling Stones.

In 1995 Fincher made his debut back into feature films by directing the movie seven. The film starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. The film grossed $11 million domestically and over $300 million internationally. Arnold Kopelson the chairman of new line cinema, refused to allow the filming of the ending climatic scene, with the aid of Brad Pitt, who said he would not be involved with the film if the ending was changed, which allowed Fincher to include the scene in the final Cut.

In 1997 Fincher directed The Game. The film was well received by critics but still got middling results in the box office. T he film starring Michael Douglass grossed $14.3 million on its opening weekend. It made $48.3 million in North America and $6.1 million in the rest of the world. This made a total gross of $109.4 million.

Fincher then went directed Fight Club 1999. The film featuring Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter and Brad Pitt. The film was an early disappointment at the box office and received many mixed reviews, the film went on then ruined by critics and alienated audiences leading to a box office failure in the US.  Later many critics and audiences changed their perspectives of the film and the film went on to appear on ‘best of the year list’.

In 2002 Fincher added to his impressive portfolio with the amazing Thriller movie Panic Room. Starring Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart. The film grossed $92 million in the US box office alone. Fincher himself describes the movie as mainstream thriller. He described the film as a “date movie” and a “really good B movie” about “2 people trapped in a closet”.

Fincher returned with vengeance 5 year later. In 2007 Fincher directed the movie Zodiac. The film starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr, Anthony Edwards and Brian Cox.  The film was filmed mainly using a Thompson Viper Film Stream Camera. High speed cameras were used to shoot for the Blue Rock Springs and Presidio Heights murder scenes slow-motion shots. It was meant to be released earlier but had to be set back as Fincher refused to cut 20 minutes off the end of the movie.  Zodiac was one of the best reviewed films of that year, but even so the film struggled in the US box office. The film only grossed $33 million. The film did better overseas grossing $51.7 million. After an aggressive campaign by the studio and expectations of Robert Downey Jr’s supporting performance, Fincher directing and Vanderbilt’s script the film did not earn any Academy Award nominations.

QUENTN TARANTINO

Quentin Jerome Tarantino born March 27^th 1963 is an American film director, screenwriter, produced, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990’s Tarantino began his career as an independent film maker with films employing non linear storylines and the aestheticization of violence. Tarantino is well known for his films, Reservoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994), Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill (2003,4), Death Proof (2007), Inglorious Bustards (2009) and upcoming movie (Django Unchained (2012). He has earned Academy Awards, Golden Globes, a BAFTA and the plame d’OR, as well as numerous Emmy and Grammy nominations.  His movies tend to be characterised by his influence from grindhouse, kung fu sand spaghetti western. Tarantino also collaborates frequently with fellow film maker and friend Robert Rodriquez.

Tarantino met Lawrence Bender at a Hollywood party, Bender encouraged Tarantino to write a screenplay. Tarantino directed and co-wrote a movie called my best friend’s birthday, during editing the film was destroyed in a lab fire but its screenplay would form the basis for True Romance. In January 1992 Reservoir Dogs screened and was an immediate h it with audiences and critics. True Romance was released in 1993 and his screenplay Natural born killers was sold. As of the success of reservoir dogs Tarantino was approached by big Hollywood projects such as Speed and Men In Black. He decided to declines these offers and instead go to Amsterdam and finish work on his next screenplay Pulp Fiction. After the screenplay pulp fiction was finished Tarantino directed episode 4 of Four Rooms. ‘The Man From Hollywood’ a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock presents which starred Steve McQueen. Four rooms was a collaborative effort by Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell and Robert Rodriguez. This film was not favoured by critics. Tarantino wrote and starred in Robert Rodriguez film From Dusk Till Dawn.  The film got mixed reviews buy yet had 2 sequels which saw Tarantino and Rodriguez as executive producers.

~Abbie Hales

Typical synopsis of a thriller... (6/12/2011)

There is a generic synopsis that runs through the theme of most typical thriller films. I think there are three types of synopsis that applies to thriller films. Typically, the first: there are police detectives involved on some sort of hunt to get to the bottom of something. The second: a dystopian world where things aren't what they seem. And third: someone's done something 'naughty' and basically for the whole film, metaphorically run for their life. There are sub genres in thriller so there are various synopsises that can be applied to and thought of.


~Maisy Osbon

History of Thrillers... (6/12/2011)

The genre of thriller has been in the film business for roughly 70 years. Various directors have gained their acclaim for success through the thriller genre. Here is a picture from the websitetimerime which shows the progression of thriller films...

Here are summaries of just a few of them...

Rebecca was made in 1940 and was amongst the first lot of films in the thriller genre. It was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and stars Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. Rebecca was the first film to be shown at the 1st Berlin International Film Festival and set the bar for thriller films: it won two Academy Awards (which included Best Picture) and both the lead actors aswell as Judith Anderson were nominated for Oscar awards. Based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier, the story centres on a young woman who has recently married a man and moved into his mansion, only to find herself being haunted by his ex wife.The picture is filmed in all black and white which is what Hitchcock wanted to give the film a darker edge and atmosphere. Rebecca was Alfred Hitchcock's first film to be made in Hollywood.


 

Psycho was made in 1960 and was again directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It starred Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, John Gavin and Vera Miles.Psycho was nominated for four Academy Awards even though it got mixed reviews. It is generally considered to be one of the best films Hitchcock made. The story focusses on a young woman who steals money so her and her lover can get married, but it comes with serious consequences. Psycho was the last picture Hitchcock filmed in black and white - he thought if it was in colour, it would be too gory to watch. He used various camera shots and lenses to help give the audience a deeper sense of realism.

The Shining was made in 1980 and was directed by Stanley Kubrick. It stars Jack Nicholson as the main protagonist and is based on a man who takes a job at a hotel only to find it does strange things to him and therefore to his family. The Shining is based on the novel by Stephen King. Stanley Kubrick forced the cast and crew to re-take scenes over and over again for a lot of crucial scenes and distinct shots. The Shining has been  named as one of the top ten most scariest films ever.

Pulp Fiction was made in 1994 and was directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars John Travolta, Samuel L.Jackson and Uma Thurman-all of them were nominated for Academy Awards for the film. Pulp Fiction is based on a intersected and knitted group of LA 'mobsters'. Tarantino has a very unique style and a love for crime and violence being used in his films. Pulp Fiction was named the 94th Greatest Movie of All Time by the American Film Institute.

Inception was made in 2010 and was directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars numerous actors and actresses including Leonardo DiCaprio. It is based on a world based on technology of humans and how they deal with it when strange things start to happen. Inception was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won five of them. Nolan uses many large scale shots and created one of the most interesting thriller films of the twenty first century.




~Maisy Osbon

Potential Problem! (6/12/2011)

How the actors are getting to the shoot?

Amy can drive and as she is James' girlfriend, we can probably ask them to come together, will confirm whether that will happen later. Connor will get a lift with either Abbie or Maisy. For the second shoot, I will get the bus up to Gravesend to meet everyone there. We are beginning filming at 12pm on both days for continuity.


~Joe Fitz

Group meeting (5/12/2011)

Connor confirmed that he will be our second actor, pictures of him to follow.
Shooting should start on the 19th December at my house (South Darenth) from 12pm & on the 20th December at 12pm (Gravesend.) Pictures of locations are to follow.
Another meeting will follow tomorrow (we will also begin to create our timeline & storyboard in this time.)
All actors have agreed to show up to the shoot.

Costumes (5/12/2011)

Actor 1 (James) he will have two main outfits: the army outfit & a coat with jeans. We have an army all in one which we will cover up the fact it is an all in one. The coat & jeans, James will have but we will possibly change it to a trench coat. For Amy (the female) we were thinking of her wearing a night gown or dressing gown or possible tracksuit to show she has been lonely since her husband went to war. The other actor, possibly Connor, will have a hoodie and jeans. We will cover up his face, it seems very horror film-ish at the start but that is intentional as it is a thriller. There will be no murders or anything horror-y apart from their outfits.

Actors for DBA (4/12/2011)

 Pictures (& Pictures of relevance towards the shoot)

We have permission to use these photos in our shoot and for our blog.

Main actor: James Mann. He has already said that he will be able for the shoot on Monday 19th December & Tuesday 20th December. Amy (girl in the picture with him) may possibly be used. Waiting to hear back from our second main actor.

We decided to use these actors as we decided that they would be the best suitable to portray our characters. Overall our piece will contain 3 characters (including connor featured in a later post). James will play our main character whose stroy will be followed by the audience. He will portray a man who has OCD whose family has disappeared and he is trying to find them.
Amy will play the girlfriend/wife of James's character. She will feature in the jump cut alongside James.
Connor will play the mysterious character who is seen lurking behind James's character in most shots. The audoence will never see Connors whole face, only the bottom half as we want to keep the audience interested and intrigued.

We decided to use these actrors because they are known by members in the group so we know we can trust them. Also we wanted actors who looked older for their age but still mainting that youthfull look as we didnt want to use older actors.

Synopsis Of Our Thriller - Dead By Alliance (1/12/2011)

An ex soldier returns home after being away from his loved ones for years, things have changed and everything he has ever known is a lie. Will he ever get his old life back? Or will he finally be broken?

Group meeting (1/12/2011)

http://joeabbiemaisy.blogspot.com/2011/12/group-meeting-11211.html

Parity Remake - Storyboard and Timeline (28/11/2011)

Here, we have mapped out a timeline and storyboard for our recreation of Parity.

~Maisy

Group meeting (24/11/2011)

We've decided we are going to aim to film our thriller opening on the 19th December (Monday) but if we do not get everything done then, we can spend the 20th/21st doing whatever we need to do. 

If we go up to London to get any shots, we'll travel up on the 16th during the day. 

Our Production Company (23/11/2011)

Our Production Company

Pumping Heart Productions

Pumping Heart Productions is the name of our production company and below we have been working on ideas for our logo...

^ The above drawings were done by Christopher Rizzi.

^ This is a preliminary idea for the logo

^ Another prelim idea.

We've decided to use the heart image above but now we just need to work on a decent and effective font.

Below is our final logo design. We plan - for the ident - to have the heart pumping up and down and then a search light going over the heart and title. 

~Maisy Osbon

Dexter Opening Sequence Remake (21/11/2011)

Storyboard

Timeline

Video

Please click on the link to see the video...

http://joeabbiemaisy.blogspot.com/search?q=dexter

Evaluation - By Maisy Osbon 
Due to a complication on the first day of our shoot, Joe Fitz was unable to be present, leaving Abbie Hales and myself to make decisions on roughly half of the shots we did on that day. Obviously with one member down on that day, we were a little apprehensive about what to do, but once we started filming, the concept became easier and we were fine with what we had to do. Abbie and I switched roles of being in charge of the camera, so we both got chances to get used to the equipment.

On the second day of our shoot, Joe was present for all of it and we found our way comfortably into the work, following the original piece of Dexter footage. For the purpose of this re-creation, we used two actors - my brother Jack Osbon and group member Joe Fitzpatrick.

We all edited together and used it as a learning process. This Dexter re-creation was the first official piece that Joe, Abbie and I did as a newly formed group. I think we all learned a lot from this. Personally, I learnt that organising everything beforehand makes everything so much easier when you're in the middle of filming and a problem arises, and also that working in a team in media, really is a group effort and that when everyone pulls their weight, you can get the best results.

Evaluation - Abbie Hales
On the first day of filming only myself and Maisy Osbon were present on the day. We were unable to have contact with Joe Fitz due to the circumstances of why he was not present.
Due to the lack of contact we were unable to confer with eachother about the shots and how we should go about them, so the decisions on that day were down to me and maisy.
On the 2nd day of filming Joe was present so this made shooting decisions easier as we able to decide as a group. The shooting went very well and we all had a go at shooting over the 2 days.

From the experience of our first offical fimlming and editing as a group I found many strengths and weaknesses as a group and myself individually.
Some weaknesses were the organisational side of the whole thing, I feel that we should have been a lot more organised and prepared than we were, Also although Jack made a convincing Dexter me and Joe were unable to be present during his filming parts. Although this worked it meant we were not present to decide on shots and changing some actions we had to go with Maisy's judgement. Also when filming none of the extra seconds were added between shots, so this made editing more of a challange. This just means its a mistake to learn from. I felt some of my weaknesses where not making myslef be more involved or heard in the judgements opposed to Joe and Maisy when filming.
Some of the positives of the whole process was that we figured out how different shots work and how to use the equipment. We also were able to find out how we would work and get along as a group as we had recently changed both our group dynamics. Maisy was the 'newcomer' into the group as me and Joe and been together in another group.
Some of my strengths I found was that I felt more comfortabe and confident in the editing more than the filming. I took more control in the editing and made more decisions in that process than I did before.
I feel that overall as a group, where our strengths lie make us a strong group and it helps that we work well together. I feel like our weaknesses help us to work harder and help us to learn from our mistakes.


Evaluation - Joe Fitzpatrick
Due to personal reasons, I was unable to be present on the first day and was unable to be into contact with my group members for the first day. I was there on the second day so was able to participate in all further group decisions if they needed to be made. 
A weakness I believe was the fact that we used two different actors throughout, I am unsure if it is obvious to the audience as obvious as it is to us as we are more aware of the different actors. I also believe that it lacked continuity as we shot over two different days and on the first day we shot during the day and the second day we shot in the evening. I believed that it was difficult to recreate a piece of media that already existed, it was also the first group project we undertook together. I think we underestimated how much could actually go wrong on a media project. 
I believe that it was a good shooting atmosphere as we were all friends and found it easy to work together. 
Other strengths I believe were that we had a template of what to work with and that all of our ideas on how we should go about shooting were quite similar. We all each took a role shooting and editing and all learned from each other and we learned from the mistakes that occurred on the shoot. I learned that with a media project, you definitely have to organize it beforehand before attempting to shoot a piece of media.