Research - Summary of Analysis

Why is research important?
Research is important because it helps me to gain an understanding on a certain topic which I will need to know about to help me improve my work.
It also helps me to come up with new ideas and answers to key questions that I wouldnt have been able to answer before.
Lastly, carrying out research on a topic will give me examples to help me decide how I can plan and present my work to meet my brief as best as possible.

What have you learned from your research?
After carrying out my research of thrillers, I have learned many codes and conventions which make up this genre and the reasons why these conventions are specifically included. Common actions used in thrillers are low pitched music and sound affects to create tension amongst the audience to keep them alert. Little diegetic music is used in the opening of thrillers. However it is sometimes which is usually from the protagonist, establishing them as a significant character early in the film.
Mise-en-scene is also important and is normally the easiest way for the viewer to figure out the genre. Low key lighting is used which makes the screen dark, creating a sinister and mysterious affect, which is popular in horror sub genres. Also, colours such as red and black are used highly in thrillers. Red is used to connote danger and blood, suggesting violence in the narrative which is expected in this genre. Also, denots darkness, which connotes a sense of mystery and rebellion, again a common theme of a thriller. Moreover, the mise-en-scene uses props such as guns, cars etc to show danger, excitement and thrills in the storyline. Also, it will reasure the viewer of what they would expect.  The protagonist is normally introduced and usually appears in more upper class attire, usually with good looks and charm to help him/her stand out.
Camera is another significant feature in a thriller movie because it presents everything how it should be seen. Directors often use a variety of shot distances. ECU's/CU's to be introduced to characters of something of relative importance in the film. MD's to show action such as fight scenes or scary scenes which are always present in thrillers. The last distances are the LS's/ELS's used to establish a setting or help to guide the audiecne through the film. Different angles are also used. High angles which present characters in a weak way while low angles are included to show a character in a dominant light. Lastly, camera movements such as tracking and panning also feature in this genre type. These help to follow the character in an important part of the storlyline or to grab the audiences attention to something that is on screen.
I found that cuts and jump cuts are the most common form of editing used in a thriller. This is because they can easily link bits of a scene together whilst making it flow the whole time. I found that doing this entertains the audience more as they are given more than one point-of-view keep them interacted which is important. Some thrillers such as Casino Royale use sound bridges inbetween cuts. I believed this worked well because the audience will still follow the film even though there is nothing on screen. This helps the linkage of shots and may also allows more time between cuts.

The research has also taught me what is bad in the thriller genre. This is because analysing past students work and comparing it with professional title sequences such as the award winn "Se7en" has easily helped pick out things which I should try and avoid in the own final product to give me the best chance of acheiving my target grade. Also, looking at all the examples both student and professional work, I can establish if the film is likely to be rated "18" or "15" due to their content.

Lastly, I believe the research I have done of the thriller genre has presented me with new ideas and changed my planning of a thriller for the better.