Research: BBFC

Research: Audience Research Statistics

FIGHT CLUB

By looking at this chart I have come to the conclusion males between the ages 18-29 have the highest audience that watch the thriller film Fight Club. Typical interests of men between this age range include exercising, clothing, women, their career etc.

18 year old male - 29 year old male

LIMITLESS

Again from this chart I have concluded that 18-29 year old males are the main audience for Limitless the film.

SHUTTER ISLAND

Yet again I have concluded that the highest audience rating Shutter Island is males between the ages of 18-29.

CONCLUSION OF RESEARCH

After looking into 3 thriller films on imdb and looking at the user rating charts I have concluded that the main audience that directors and production companies target when creating a thriller film is males between the ages of 18-29. This makes sense as most of the time this is the age range of the main male role in thrillers, as well as the attractive female co-star so this may also be an attraction for males to thrillers. Men between these ages tend to be quite physically fit and career forward, so these males most likely see themselves as quite strong which is what the male leads in thrillers tend to see themselves like so this may be a reason why men of this age range are the main target audience for thrillers.

Sub-genres in a Thriller Animations

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

Narratives: Omniscient, Restricted, Linear & Non-linear Animations

Omniscient

Restricted

Linear & Non-Linear

Enigma Code Animation

Spoiler Review of Stolen

Thriller Review: Stolen (2012)

In the film Stolen Nicolas Cage plays a notorious bank robber named Will Montgomery who with his partners stole $10m. However, he has an argument with Vincent (one of his partners) who then in the runaway leaves Will behind. He tries to get away but FBI agent Tim Harlend organises a search for Will and in the end is consequently caught but before he burns the $10m of stolen Monday to rid the evidence against him. Now eight years later Will leaves prison and goes to try and amend his relationship with his daughter Alison. Alison leaves Will alone in a coffee shop and jumps in a cab to go to a session with her shrink. Although a few minutes later Will receives a phone call from Vincent who he is thought to be dead up until this point, Vincent tells him that he has abducted Alison and will kill her unless he receives the $10m from the robbery. Will now has 12 hours to rescue his daughter from Vincent.

Stolen has all the elements in place to create a good thriller: a good girl partner (Riley), a loose-cannon partner (Vincent) and a nemesis cop (Tim). The story line given to this thriller keeps it interesting because the main characters are forever changing depending on where in Will's rescue he finds himself, this creates an emotional change constantly throughout the film which shows the film has depth. The fact the film is staged on following Nicolas Cage on his venture gives the film emotional complexity. Overall I enjoyed this thriller as it is a high-quality action packed thriller that constantly keeps you on your toes as to whats about to happen next.

I would give this thriller a 3/5 rating.

Spoiler Review of The Hunger Games

Thriller Review: The Hunger Games (2012)

The Hunnger Games is set in the future, the nation of Panem is divided between 12 districts and the Capitol. Each yesr 2 youhg representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal retribution for a past rebellion, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. The 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors while the citizens of Panem are required to watch. When 16 year old Katniss's young sister Prim is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to tske her place. She and her fellow District 12 contestant Peeta are pitted against bigger and stronger representatives from the other Districts in a fight to the death. 

The Hunger Games is a very good thriller as it is constantly building suspense as you are always antisipating whats about to happen next. There is a lot of depth behind this film as it has a very complex story line which makes this quite an emotional thriller. Personally even though I think this is a good film I did wouldnt of obviously said it was a thriller due to the fact its does not have all the stereotypical aspects you'd expect, that being said it is still well made thriller. 

Overall I would give this thriller 4/5.

Spoiler Review of Inception

Thriller Review: Inception (2011)

Inception is a sci-fi thriller that has a large emsemble cast full of stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joselh Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger and Michael Caine. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb, a theif who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets. He is offered a chance to regain his old life as a payment for a task that it said to be impossible, this task is 'inception': inception is the implantation of another persons idea into a targets subconscious.

Inception is possibly the worlds hardest film to describe because of how action packed and intense the story line is. It has such an advanced cast of actors which just enhances the drama of the film. This is a good thriller as the location is continuously changing as the plot progresses, there is constantly something new being brought into the film to try and reveal the outcome but not telling you 100% so that again builds suspense.

Overall I would rate this film 3/5.

Research: Narratives & Sub-Genres

Omniscient - This is where the audience know everything about the character, for example omniscient narrative is used in Silence of the Lambs.

Restricted - There is when the audience know just what the characters know, for example restricted narrative is used in Sixth Sense and Shutter Island.

Linear - This is when the story flows clearly from beginning middle to end.

Non-Linear - This is when the events in the story are not necessarily in chronological order, this may include flash backs to throw the audience off track.

Sub Genres

Conspiracy Thriller - powerful organisations, story unravelling, investigators who are the hero/heroine (Example: The DaVinci Code)

Crime Thriller - Mostly suspense, focuses on criminals, emphasised action (Example: Stolen)

Disaster Thriller - Natural disasters that end the world, conflict of nature following a group of peoples survival (Example: I Am Legend)

Mystery Thriller - Relates to crime thrillers, focuses on efforts of detective, follows protagonist to understand clues (Example: Black Swan)

Political Thriller - Stability of government (Example: Vantage Point)

Psychological Thriller - Heavy focus on the unstable emotional states of characters (Example: Shutter Island)
Religious Thriller - Good and bad points about religion, looks at how good over comes the bad (Example: The Devil Inside)

Supernatural Thriller - Mixed with tension and defence, characters have supernatural powers to help them over come the problem (Example: 2012)

Techno Thriller - Based on science fiction (Example: Jurassic Park)

Research: Enigma Codes

Enigma Codes

One of the most commonly used narrative structures in the thriller genre is an enigma code, it acts as a intriguing way of enticing the audience to follow the narrative, as slowly as they progress through the film, they are left to feel as if they are discovering things as the thriller progresses, as well as also building a sense of suspense and drama for the duration of the rest of the film.

The Enigma Code is always in the form of a question (The question the whole film is based around revealing)

Roland barthes' Enigma Code

Barathes' Enigma Code is a theory that suggests a text (whether that be television, film, a poster etc) portrays a mystery to draw an audience in, pose questions and become intrigued in the piece. For instance, a murder mystery will often not reveal the identity of the murderer until the end of the story, which poses the question "Who is the murderer?"

The Matrix

The man slowly reveals to Neyo what the Matrix is and offers him an ultimatum to discover more (by taking the red pill or by 'waking up' taking the blue pill) so the audience is still left with the suspense building. Although the audience now knows what the Matrix is the story is not over and the mystery carries on but just with more pieces revealed. This is an example of the Enigma Code being used.

Crank
Why did he kill him?
How much time does he really have left?

The Usual Suspects
Why did he kill him?

Timeline for Title Sequence: Casino Royale

T1 - Albert R Broccolli's EON Productions Ltd. Presents

T2 - Daniel Craig (main actor)

T3 - Ian Flemming's James Bond 007

T4 - Casino Royale

T5 - Starring Eva Green

T6 - Mads Mikkelsen

T7 - Giancarlo Gianni

T8 - Caterina Murino

       Simon Abkarian

       Isaach De Bankole

T9 - Jesper Christensen

       Ivana Milicevic

T10 - Tobias Menzies

         Claudio Santamaria

         Free Running Stunts By Sebastien Foucan

T11 - With Jeffery Wright

T12 - and Judi Dench as M

T13 - Associate Producer Andrew Noakes

         Production Executive David Pope

T14 - Camera Operator Roger Pearce

         Second Unit Assstant Director Terry Madden

         Script Supervisor Jean Bourne

         Publicity and Marketing Anne Bennett

         Promotions Keith Snelgrove

         Assistant Producer David G Wilson

T15 - Sound Recordist Chris Munro

         Electrical Supervisor Eddie Knight

         Stills Photographer Jay Maidment

         Makeup Supervisor Paul Engelen

         Hairdressing Supervisor Christine Blundell

         Wardrobe Supervisor Dan Grace

T16 - Visual Effects and Miniature Supervisor Steve Beg

         Supervising Art Director Simon Lamont

         Property Manager Ty Teiger

         Construction Manager Stephen Bohan

         Post Production Supervisor Michael Solinger

T17 - Unit Production Manager Jeremy Johns

         Second Unit Production Manager Terry Bamber 

         First Assitant Director Bruce Moriarty 

T18 - Casting Debbie McWilliams

         Stunt Coordinator Gary Powell

T19 - Special Effects and Miniature Effects Supervisor Chris Corbould 

         Main Title Designed By Daniel Kleinman

T20 - Secondary Unit Director Alexander Witt

T21 - Costume Designer Linda Hemming

T22 - Editor Stuart Baird ACE

T23 - Director of Photography Phil Meheux BSC

T24 - Production Designer Peter Lamont

T25 - Music by David Arnold

T26 - 'You Know My Name' Performed by Chris Cornell 

          Written and Produced by Chris Cornwell and David Arnold

T27 - Executive Producers Antony Wave and Callum McDougall

T28 - Based on the Novel by Ian Fleming

T29 - Screenplay by Neal Purvis & Robert Wave and Paul Haggis

T30 - Produced by Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli 

T31 - Directed by Martin Campbell

9 Frame Title Sequence Analysis: Casino Royale

This frame is the traditional opening to every bond film but the director of this film has taken a modern twist on the traditional way by adding blood dripping down the screen.

This is the first time we see the theme of 'casino' placed into the title sequence, displaying the suits of cards across the screen as well as roulette wheels spinning.

This is the first time we see the link between violence and casino in the same frame hinting this could mean they link in the same place in the film.

Here we see me silhouetes fighting, one black and one right. We can assume that the black suited one is 'James Bond' and that the red is the 'vilan', this again refering to the theme of violence in the casino.

In this frame we see a gun's aim panning across the screen and over the 'queens' face to reveal a hidden women behind it. This could either suggest that this is the new bond girl, or an alternative view wcoukd be that this is representated that in the film this women in hiding something from Bond.

Here we see that the 'suits' of cards are being used in a violent ways as a weapon. This suggests that the director is trying to portray that a casino is not just a place for games and that it is really a death battle.

Here we see that two gun shots have been shot through a '7 of hearts' playing card to reveal the typical bond code name of 007.

This is the first time in the film that Daniel Craig's face is revealed as this is his first Bond film so this had to be a direct reveal, although I dont think this fits in with the animated casino theme of the entire title sequence but it was just necessary. 

Mind Map: Conventions of Genre

Collage of Iconography: Inception