Moodboard

Shot list and animatic

The shot list is pivotal in the creation of the final product; it acts as a means of planning and constructing the story. It's a sort of frame around which the detail and presentation of the story. What follows is a brief description of each shot.

                        Animatic

SHOT 1

Camera shot and angle: Extreme close up
Camera movement: N/A
Sound FX:N/A
Dialogue/lyrics: N/A
Music: Beginning of soundtrack which fades in, slowly increasing in pace. A repetitive beat.
Description of image: Images taped to a door. Because this is a close up shot, setting cannot yet be established- allowing for the creation of an enigma. The titles are integrated.

SHOT 2

Camera shot and angle: Extreme close up
Camera movement: N/A
Sound FX:N/A
Dialogue/Lyrics: N/A
Music: Non- diegetic soundtrack continues to increase in volume and tempo
Description of image: Similar to the previous shot, this should also show a photograph of a person taped to a door. Again the saturation of the image should be low to give a gritty, dark atmosphere.

SHOT 3


Camera shot and angle: Close up
Camera movement: N/A
Sound FX:N/A
Dialogue/Lyrics: N/A
Music: Soundtrack continues
Description of image: The transition from extreme close up to close up gives the effect of zooming out and slowly revealing more context to the audience; here the door and all of the photographs taped to it are visible. Shock factor. 

SHOT 4


Camera shot and angle: Over the shoulder shot
Camera movement: N/A
Sound FX:N/A
Dialogue/Lyrics: N/A
Music:
Description of image: Again to emphasis this "zooming out" effect, more of the scene is revealed. Here the antagonist will clearly be presented in dark clothing 




SHOT 5


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SHOT 6


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SHOT 7


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SHOT 8


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SHOT 9


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SHOT 10


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SHOT 11


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SHOT 12


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SHOT 13


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SHOT 14


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SHOT 15


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SHOT 16


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SHOT 17


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We plan to have large amount of short duration static shots within the first scene as a means of building tension; we feel that were these to be in time with the beat of the of the music it would be very effective.

Dialogue planning

Because the plot of the film is so intricate, dialogue is a necessity for us to express some of this detail more clearly. There are several criteria that our dialogue must fit:

• Foregrounding
• Clarity
• Details of the plot
• Introduction of the main character and sidekick.
• Good, believable scripting.

So, these are the demands that need to be met. What we don't want is a cliche, hackneyed script that would detract from the quality of the film by its predictability and "cheesiness". We must steer clear of cliches; avoiding them like the plague. So, this calls for a subtle, well planned approach to scripting- after all, planning is key here. 

The scene which contains dialogue must not only express the plot; but also the characters. Perhaps the more simple character to depict is the protagonist; who is meant to be weary, tense and short tempered. (Think of Brad Pitt's character in Se7en- easily angered and quick to the punch.) So, what is the best way to create this character? While a large part of this will depend on who we use as an actor, the real basis will come with the scripting. The methods that have been seen in the presentation of    this character type can be seen in Agent Starling,(silence of the lambs),and Detective Mills (Se7en). Dialogue will be constructed mainly of a range of simple sentences and interrogatives on the protagonists' part- this will make him seem blunt and abrupt thus creating the intended character. 



1st detective should be sitting at desk reading through notes/ folder when 2nd detective enters.

1st: (standing in doorway) It happened again.

2nd: (now crossing room) Yes. Killed and left by some random roadside.

1st: Are we sure its the same person doing this? 

 The second detective places a bag marked "evidence" on his desk.

2nd: (bluntly) Yes.

(Here we would need a reaction shot of the first detective)

2nd: This person-the victim-was from a pretty wealthy family. Her parents run a large company; she was set to inherit.

1st: (looks through notes) Hmm.

2nd: (quietly) Is it about the money, d'you think?

Floor plan

                          Floor plan

Planning is important in the production of footage; a careful plan of shots and layout allows for a greater level of continuity and greater quality of film. 

A plan of space and layout of the first location.

One of the first steps in practical planning is the floor plan; which must address the dimensions and layout of the chosen location so that any necessary adjustments can be made to accommodate potential problems such as the area of floor available and where to position the cameras. In this post are several floor plans which should help to give us a more precise idea of how to organise our location.

A rough idea of camera placement.

In our first location there are several factors to consider which could impact on the filming process if they remain unchecked. First and foremost is the issue of space. Because of the limited room actions and scenes will have to be well measured within the space available to be effective. This may require several practice shots experimenting with height and zoom settings of the camera; but for now these initial measurements will give a rough idea of were to place the cameras.




The length of the room is greater than the width; so there will be one camera placed at the end of the room (as seen above) so as to film the tracking shot. (in this the character is seen from the front.)It's more practical the layout the scene along the length of the room rather than the width simply because there is room for the actors to maneuver. 

A second accommodation has to be made for the contents of the room and what is shown in shot; items such as the work surfaces,the sink, the cupboards and the microwave need no attention because they suit the intended impression. (That is, the impression that this small, cramped place is lived in beyond just this event.) However such things as the washing machine wouldn't suit this; not only is it illogical that someone who is essentially living in a shed could afford a washing machine, it simply makes the space look like the laundry room of someone's house. The simplest solution to this would be to cover it with a plain white sheet- the advantages of which are twofold. Not only does it hide the machine, but it also gives a slightly eerie sense that adds to the sense of disrepair surrounding the setting. It may seem too simple- but it's really a very effective, subtle solution. I would also apply this to the paintings and canvases within the room should I be unable to remove them. 

Target audience and production company

Target audience

The target audience of "The Warrior Gene" will be in keeping with that of the majority of thrillers; and would be older teens to adults due to the use violence, taboo language and graphic violence. In keeping with BBFC regulations the rating would be about an 18 because it would contain very strong violence in some scenes, and particularly strong language which would be unsuitable for a younger audience. The reason this would be of more interest to older teens is because while it does display certain factors such as the aforementioned violence the plot focuses more heavily on the reasons behind the killer's actions- it's more psychological than action and thus requires greater thought and understanding than a straight out chase-and-fight scene thriller which would be heavy on the violence and skimping on the plot.(These are easier to follow but may become repetitive- something which may perturb a more adult audience). In short, the psychological element will have more appeal to an older audience.

 Production company

The choice of production company was easy enough: we chose New line cinema as we found that there previous productions had been quite successful- their filmography (within the thriller genre) includes:

• Se7en (1995)
• Snakes on a plane (2006)
• Hit list (1989)
• Dangerous ground (1997)

We feel that this production company would be effective in creating a high quality thriller film- and were this to be a serious production the popularity and recognisability of New Line Cinema would serve as a great advantage.

Characters

In keeping with the conventions of a thriller film the cast will be relatively small consisting only of necessary characters; four, in  this case. Below is a list of characters and their roles within the film, in no particular order. Because we are at this point unsure as to who we will use as actors appearances will be unspecified.

The killer 
 As should be fairly obvious the killer is the only antagonist and represents the side of evil. The character is very bitter  that his life hasn't been all that he had wanted it to be- in general, he is angry and jealous of those who are happier and better off than himself. The reason for the horrific revenge taken by the killer is a genetic mutation which causes extreme aggression and violent reaction when provoked-the "warrior gene."
As an ex MI5 agent, he is highly intelligent which makes for a dangerous combination with his vindictive nature; as his former colleagues realise when they find the majority of his victims are agents.

The killer is intended to be quite mysterious (and difficult to catch, by association) so there will be no shot showing the killer's entire face save for one extreme close up of an eye- for dramatic effect. 

The agent(protagonist)

The protagonist will represent the side of good- although not the innocence that is sometimes associated with this. The character is heavily inspired by the character of Detective Somerfield from Se7en in the way that he is tired, and worn down by the difficulty of the job- however when the threat of the killer is presented he acts immediately and sets to work; trying to discover the killer's identity. 

Second agent (minor character)


The second agent is used as a means of developing the plot: the character will simply provide opportunity for the protagonist to express thought/feelings verbally thus aiding the creation of character and presentation of key points within the plot in a way that is clear to the audience.

Victim
The only victim who will be directly seen in the opening sequence shall identified as an agent by a close up of an identity tag on the ground. The role of the victim is to introduce the audience to the theme of the film-which is essentially kidnap/murder. This character will have no dialogue. 

The idea: "Warrior" Gene

Our final idea is a sort of culmination of different aspects expressed in previous ideas; which we produced three of.

Discarded ideas

Idea no.1

 A man who kidnaps women that look like his wife and tortures them because his wife cheated on him. This was his way of venting his deep anger. His wife is the last victim and the police have to catch him before he kills her. This was greatly inspired by the T.V drama Criminal Minds in the way that the plot would revolve heavily around the killer's motives; his reason for killing as it does in the series- hence the title "Criminal minds" It's all about the thought process behind the crime.

Idea no 2 

A man who kidnaps children and kills them. The man then kidnaps John. John’s dad is an ex policeman so he decides to take the case into his hand and try to find his son and kills the kidnapper. This particular concept was inspired by the popular thriller "Taken", in which the concept of kidnap was made all the more interesting because of the history given to the protagonist, and his personal connection to the crime- definitely an aspect worth investigating.

Idea no 3 

A psychological thriller inspired by silence of the lambs: a highly intelligent psychopath of unknown identity loose in a city evading police and threatening innocent people who have done apparently no wrong . His true motive is nothing more than an angry hatred of people who are better off than himself-happier, wealthier and healthier people who never knew why…

 

 

FINAL IDEA

 A psychological thriller based on a kidnap killer(kk), loose in a city and harming innocent people. An ex MI5 agent, who developed an unknown condition while working as an uncover spy for the MI5. He now poses a great threat to the lives of innocent people, intent on taking revenge on the world for the way it treated him. It's time for one M15 agent to take the case into his own hands and to try an capture this dangerous villain- if he can.

The final idea we produced ended up being a sort of culmination of our three initial ideas: for all of these we felt that kidnap may be an interesting theme to explore. The personal aspects of ideas one and two in which the protagonist had some link to the killer (such that in idea two, with the kidnap of the main characters' son)was something which would give depth to the plot and hopefully work to create a more emotive piece, so it seemed logical to replicate this in the final idea. This arrived in the form of the killer belonging to the same organization as the protagonist which means that the threat is not only to the innocent public but to the protagonist: the killer is very likely to know all about them, where they live, who they live with... all of this in the hands of a highly intelligent madman, makes for a story packed with tension and mystery.

The plot centres very heavily the idea that the antagonist is very bitter, and that his life hasn't been all that he had wanted it to be- in general, he is angry and jealous of those who are happier and better off than himself. The idea will also be raised that even before he began to kill, he was a disagreeable person and people tended to provoke him because of this, further motivating his revenge. It is this that gave us the idea for the title "Warrior Gene"- a genetic mutation which causes extreme aggression and violent reaction when provoked. This will be implied casually in some dialogue as a sort of vague suggestion made by a minor character in the midst of listing the reason for the killer's actions.

In terms of character the villain draws heavy influence from Hannibal Lecter from the silence of the lambs: the presentation of Lecter as being close to genius made him seem inhuman and distant- and much more dangerous than the person who he had been "helping" the FBI agent to capture. An intelligent antagonist poses much more of a threat because he is always two steps ahead of the main character. This will work to great effect for creating the sense of mystery surrounding the identity of the killer.

The logic behind having the killer as being an ex-agent is relatively simple: it's a useful plot device that will allow explanations not only for his intelligence and understanding of the MI5 procedure that prevent him from being captured; but will also allow the main character further resources in his hunt for the killer. Aside from this the introduction of a major organization such as this which is traditionally shrouded in mystery and intrigue will compliment the mystery of the killer nicely. This device is very widely used; and has been a staple in nearly all of the thrillers which had the greatest impact on us as viewers.

All in all the idea is typical of the genre, having been heavily inspired by a range of thrillers such as Taken, Silence of the lambs, and Se7en and additionally the t.v drama "Criminal minds." 

Thriller subgenres-which is the best for us?

As with any genre the thriller genre has many sub genres within it- ranging from popular sub genres such as crime thriller to the less popular example such as medical thrillers. But which of these is the most effective; that applies to our own concept? Our  thriller contains elements from a range of sub genres, but can be placed into two significant categories.

Crime thriller

Crime thrillers are one of the most popular sub genres; and can be identified by certain distinguishing factors:

• Access to weapons- this is arguably as a result of the involvement of law in some form; but there are few exceptions in which the protagonist and villain do not have access to any form of weapon. The protagonist often possess these justly, as a police officer  or detective as in Se7en; while the villain may have obtained them illegally via theft or other criminal means- this provides a very subtle reinforcement of the difference between the villain and the hero- and in turn the difference between good and evil.
• Scenes of violence- a hallmark of the crime thriller is violence; and as often occurs with violence, gore. There is a sort of shock factor associated with these; but (depending on the quality/ budget of the film) often these will be used purely for content and ensuring the film has enough intensity  and interest for the target audience. 
• Human danger- the source of danger in a crime thriller is invariably human. This is partially because a sense of realism is key to the success of the film; scenes of violence alone would create a substantial plot, thus there is the need for some emotive explanation o
• Involvement of law enforcement services- this is either the cause of or a means of explaining access to weapons

Psychological thriller

Psychological thrillers are identified by a greater sense of subtlety in the presentation of danger and further intricacies of plot that may not necessarily be found within other sub genres such as crime. Key aspects include:

• Mind games- the protagonist perception of events and possible alterations to these perceptions by outside  sources is one of the mot notable features- it is after all "psychological" and thus reliant on audience and character interpretation of events within the storyline which are manipulated to mislead both of the above, thus creating the necessary fear and confusion that is typical of the psychological thriller.
• Lower level of violent scenes- as with anything this varies from film to film, but psychological thrillers as a general rule have fewer scenes of violence than other sub genres. This is due to one of its distinctive features: the reliance on the creation of a subtle threat- rather than seeking quick shocks via the use of gore and drama the dramatic and emotive impact is executed through the use of mounting tension within the storyline due to crucial developments in the protagonist's understanding of events, or significant events themselves.
• Little information given about source of danger- a commonly recurring feature is the lack of knowledge about the source of the trouble; be it human or otherwise. In the case of a human threat such as a killer; little is initially known about the antagonist and their motives beyond his or her criminal activity. This device is used to enhance the mystery an suspense of the piece, and when used in juxtaposition with the use of mind games creates an intense and almost fantastical presentation of the killer- often within psychological thrillers the villain becomes like the monster under the bed; a near fictionalised danger. (That is until the end of the film at which point there will be a sort of "big reveal" of the killer's identity)
• May include some paranormal or fantastical elements; but films such as this are not common as this tends to fit more within the horror genre. An example of a thriller containing these elements is the butterfly effect; which centers around the idea that the protagonist has the power to change the future. Often these paranormal or fantastical elements play some sort of role in the character's moral development; as within the butterfly effect the protagonist comes to realise   that there are some things which cannot be changed, that there is always some losing party no matter what you do. This moral development is something which is (usually) at its conclusion by the end of the film; leaving the characters wiser-but not necessarily happier.

There are a few films which may be useful to investigate that 
apply to these genres: 

• The butterfly effect
• Silence of the lambs 
• Law abiding citizen 

I think these films are something which may be useful in the further development of our film, and we'll follow these through with several opening sequence analysis which will hopefully give use a wider range of ideas and influences to draw on.

Todorov Narrative Therory

 Todorov theory stated that most narratives followed five stages that we see being applied in the majority of films as it is simple and easy :

*A state of equilibrium (all is as it should be)
*A disruption of that order by an event disruption
*A recognition that the disorder has occurred
*An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption 
*A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium 

Todorov's narrative theory is not a linier structured  narrative but it is circular. It is a structure used in most mainstream film narratives. This structure of a narrative is mainly driven by the attempt to restore the equilibrium. Although the equilibrium attained at the end of the film is not identical to initial equilibrium at the beginning. Todorov claimed that this is because as the disruption progresses it causes a transformation in the characters and or situations. 

The application of this within our own work will be somewhat limited to the time limit of two minutes; but within these two minutes we will be able to clearly establish some form of equilibrium by the way of presenting the killer and the detective as being in a state of pursuit- but with no advances being made by the detective. In this case the equilibrium is negative in that it does not favour the protagonist, but is never the less a consistent way of being before the disruption of this order.

Props, location and costume

Props location and costume are pivotal in creating the desired mise en scene within the film, and must be carefully constructed to create the optimum effect.

Props

Within the piece there is one predominant prop that will be used consistently throughout the filming. This particular prop was inspired by memento, and is the use of photographs as plot device. In Memento we found the way that the only thing which Lenny (the protagonist) could rely on were the photographs- it seemed to add a great deal to the mystery of the piece while still providing the audience with some information to go on ad played a major role in foregrounding later events in the film. We will use this similarly in our own film- in the opening sequence there will be a shot of a wall, with many photos stuck to it. A photograph of the protagonist will be placed towards the bottom corner of this image in quite a covert anger; partially covered by other photos. This will indicate to the (much) more observant members of the audience that the protagonist may be in danger as this wall is revealed to be a sort of hit list; the other images being a mixture of intended victims and past victims, who's faces will be obscured by scribbles and red crosses. 

The second major use of props within the film will be introduced fairly on and presented as a clue the killer leaves- a little hint that he uses to toy with the agent, and to indicate motive. This will be an iPod, left playing a specific track- "antidote"  This track gives the audience the opportunity to guess why he is doing what he's doing without giving too much away. Remember; in thriller films mystery and suspense are the top priority.


Some background props will be used to a lesser extent; including the use of saws, hammers, other such tools etc- the main focus of these will probably be placed on the saws and hint at a possible weapon, but this emphasis should be subtle, and as I mentioned, in the background. This subtlety should prevent the use of such props from creating the appearance of a horror film- the horror genre is not known for such subtleties. 

Costume 

Costume will be chosen directly for the purpose of connotations in relation to the role of the character within the film. There are four characters, so four costumes are required:

• The killer
• The agent( protagonist)
• The second agent-(minor character to provide dialogue with protagonist)
• The victim-an off duty agent

Because we are still unsure of who we will use as actors the costume may change depending on the actors.

 The killer

First and foremost is the costume of the killer. The idea is relatively simple and should present a person who had fallen

difficult times; their outfit should be eclectic and composed of several items arranged in layers, which will have the effect of making them appear larger than they actually are thus more imposing in the eye of the audience. We had a sort of base idea that the killer should wear casual items of clothing to contrast with the suits of the agents- this means jeans,probably black to prevent the character from appearing too casual. Aside from this if blue jeans were used they would need to be damaged in some way to have that gritty effect and to give the impression that he'd had a rough lifestyle; and the use of black jeans substitutes more of a sense of darkness and danger in place or this which is equally effective. This being said there are only one item which may present more of a range of options, and it is these options which have been listed below.

 

                                                                                         The coat

 

 There are three options for the coat: the first of these is a black leather  coat which reaches the ankles, depending on the height of the actor. This would have the effect of making the killer intensely threatening in that you would be unable to see very much of the killer other than a mass of black fabric- almost as if the killer was made of shadows. Of course the connotations of this are that shadows are impossible to catch; hence the killer is impossible to catch. This would suit the mysterious atmosphere required.
 However, there is a large factor which detracts from this: it is a somewhat cliched effect. While we do aim to keep within the conventions of the thriller genre, we also want to produced an original piece of work that seems reasonably realistic. While the connotations of such an item are significant, they do detract from the realism by making the character appear somewhat "cheesy", for want of a better word.

The second option would be the jacket you can see in the image to the left. This is definitely an improvement over option number one: it retains a casual air but still has the potential to give quite a rough effect due mostly to its colour- a sort of dull grey- and its almost military style. This is well suited to the intended atmosphere. 
While the coat in itself may lack some of the mystery that option number one could generate, we feel that when paired with other items-layered- such as a hoodie and baseball cap, to hide the face the mystery may be just as potent as within the first option.

 

The final option is this mud coloured-coat and navy hoodie. The coat is similar to option number two in style but in poorer condition, and with heavier military styling. As a result it has the same connotations as the grey coat, but amplified by its poor condition. This deems it the most effective in the creation of the character's image and thus the most logical option for the coat. The addition of the hoodie and a baseball cap will be used solely to prevent the audience viewing too much of the killer's face thus increasing the aspect of mystery.

The agents               

  The choice of costume for the two characters of the agents proves to be far more simple than the decisions for the killer: the fact that they belong to such an organisation would mean a suit is involved. As it happens they're members of the same organisation as James Bond is in the series of the same name, and it is safe to say that the conventional dress code appears to be suits, or similar smart formal wear.

(An example of the sort of costume we will attempt to replicate)

The suit in the image to the right  would be a standard example of the sort of  costume that the characters would wear; but because of the fact that something like this would tend to cost money we don't have we will have to attempt to replicate this style as closely as is possible. An example of the means by which would do this can be found below, and is the use of a standard but smart blazer: much cheaper,  just as effective and far more adaptable- which is highly beneficial considering that we have yet to decide who we will use as actors.

 

 

  We will use perhaps one factor the differentiate between the protagonist and the minor character, and this will be a slightly more "relaxed" version of the uniform i.e. rolled up sleeves, loose/no tie etc. This is an example of costume being used subtly to give more personality to a character by making them appear tired, and worn out- an effect which is clearly seen in the film Se7en in which the character played by Brad Pitt can be seen to be wearing smart clothes which are comparatively relaxed when placed beside the meticulously dressed detective played by Morgan Freeman. 
It simply acted as a means of "humanising" that character; making them more real to the audience, and will do so in our thriller.

The victim

The victim's costume will be relatively flexible because there is little need for a suit- the fact that this is an agent albeit an off duty one will be shown via the use of props and camerawork (a close up of a name tag). Because of this we can allow the actor to wear casual everyday attire with only a few restrictions:

• white item of clothing- this will probably be easiest to display in the form of a white t-shirt or jumper. The reason for this is the connotations of the colour white; which traditionally represents innocence. And the more innocent the victim, the more abhorrent the crime, the more evil the villain. (Alternately white can be used to represent the hero, while black the villain- black and white cowboy films made great use of this via the cowboy hats.)
• Sensible footwear- this is purely for practicality. Even if heels or other such items did add to the overall effect they would be highly dangerous when the location is taken into consideration; it's a tight space and the floor is extremely uneven. Accidents are no help to creating a film.

 These are the only necessary regulations on the victims' costume, but some work may be required in the way of stage make-up. This would include the use of blue/ purple face paint used (very) lightly beneath the eyes to create the impression of exhaustion. This must be very minimal to avoid detracting from the quality of the piece.

Some fake blood may be used on the hands of the killer and to indicate fingerprints on his face, but once again this should be kept to a minimum.
 

 

Location

The locations in the film should not stray too far from conventional thriller settings; which is relatively easy to achieve due to the fact that we only need two places in which two film. The first of these is setting in which the victim is killed; this sequence will be inclusive of titles and will last for a minute. (roughly) 

In terms of location we had several ideas, including an abandoned factory on the edges of town; which would've been perfect had it not been far too dangerous a place to film. While the deterioration of the place would've established the perfect atmosphere and sense of mystery for the film and formed a good metaphor for the deteriorated state of the killers' mind, it wouldn't have helped to have the building falling down around us.

We wanted the retain this distant, isolated feeling in the final choice of location but aside from the obvious necessity of safety we also though it would be better to downsize somewhat as not only would this intensify the aspect of isolation by making for a more inconspicuous setting but would also introduce a sense of claustrophobia to the filming: with a lot going on in a small dilapidated setting, far away from the city and any people there would be no chance of escape for the killer.

This left us with a few key requirements for our location:

• Small space
• Large enough to film in
• In poor condition/ appearance
• Fairly old 
• Ability to be presented as isolated

As luck would have it, there was a place which met all of these qualifications within easy reach. Situated behind one of our houses in a large garden is a studio used for painting and glasswork. Originally this space would have acted as a sort laundry building at the time of its creation about 150 years ago.  Because of this the place is very small- about †he size of a
an average room, but longer and with a slanted ceiling. Not only this but its age means that while structurally sound it is in poor appearance: peeling paint, exposed brick walls, stable doors, etc. It's also supplied with electricity which can facilitate using lamps for lighting effects should there be a need for it.

The second location must have the capacity to resemble an office and the most logical and easily accessible solution would be to film within the school if possible. As an alternative to this, we could simply use an unspecified room and remove any unneeded furniture and place a desk and filling cabinet within to create the impression of an office space.