Recipe for James Bond Thrillers

Recipe for James Bond Thrillers

1. James Bond must be dashing, sexy and heroic secret agent.
2. James Bond must try and defeat an eccentric villain of equal strength.
3. Gorgeous women are always included in a James Bond film.
4. Exotic locations and plot devices are used for a successful James Bond film.
5. James Bond films are eye-popping and include stunt-driven action.

The opening scene to Casino Royale automatically starts with action, to catch the audience's attention. And the trailer to Casino Royale is also full of action, which intices the audience into watching the film.

Opening scene:                      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu_qUn_90FE
Trailer:                                   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl5WHj0bZ2Q

The newest James Bond film SKYFALL, not only is full of exciting action scenes and all the rest to go with it (list is at the top) it also has character depth, and we find out more about our heroic secret agent, 007, as this James Bond film shatters the stereotypical tongue-in-cheek action.

Many critics have judged the new James Bond film, SKYFALL, as best ever James Bond film made.

Trailer:                                   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kw1UVovByw

Analysing a 3-4minute extract

Extract: Toy Story 3, The Incinerator Scene

Intro

I have analysed a scene from Toy Story 3, because personally I like this film as it is a classic and even though it is animated and doesn't have actors/actresses I feel that it shows different techniques and emotions. I find this scene to be exciting and full of suspense.

Sound

Within the first few seconds of the Incinerator Scene, there is diegetic sound from the machinery grinding up waste in the background. Whilst Woody is searching for his friends, music appears. The music's dark and mysterious; this highlights Woody's emotion, setting and his worry for his friends. At this point the music is non-diegetic. Throughout the 4 minute and 39 second extract the characters' voices are all diegetic.

As Buzz, Woody and Lots-O' fall from the magnetic ceiling, you hear the ruffling of the shredded waste as they land, this is diegetic sound.

The first 1 minute and 22 seconds of the extract, there are echoes in voices at times (diegetic). It emphasises the emptiness of the setting and how big the setting is for the characters.

The close up on Woody's face and the high-pitched non-diegetic music in the background shows Woody's realisation that what Rex saw wasn't what he thought he saw. Tensions build for audience members. This scene onwards tension is built up further, audience members become tense and worried and keeps the audience guessing.

Noise then escalates from a low sound to a high pitched sound to show how far away the toys are from danger. High pitched violins are used throughout this point in the extract as it builds tension, creates suspense and a terrifying atmosphere as the toys panic and run for their lives. The panting of the toys are heard as they run, this makes you on edge as you want them to live. We sympathise the toys. The music is fast paced to build tension. It then suddenly changed to deep, dark, low sounded instruments this gives a sense of something evil about to happen.

As the toys fall, instruments play quickly to exaggerate how far they fell. After the non-diegetic sound of the instruments, machinery is heard. You hear a clinking noise from the machinery over 5 times every 2 seconds to add tension. this diegetic noise then merges into non-diegetic noise and turns into instruments making a deep noise every couple of seconds. Violins, non-diegetic sound is being played as it's a miserable part. The same musical instruments are played in the same way, this builds tension.

Towards the end of this scene, angelic voices are sung to highlight that it's a miracle, that they've been saved, it's a key moment. Trumpets are played after to show the triumph of the rescue. Machine noises are also played in the background at times. Light, happy music is being played and the characters begin to talk. Whereas before in danger, their actions spoke louder than, their words and they didn't talk to each other. The music clearly showed the emotions of the situation. There's foreboading in this extract, foreboading's when tension is built and itmakes the audience think something bad will happen. Sound's important in the part of the extract where no one speaks, as it is tense.

As Lots-O' sneaks off a dustbin truck stops beside him, the noise of the truck are diegetic.

Mise-en-scene
A close up of Woody and then onto his point of view shot, which is panned slowly. Old appliances are shown and the atmosphere is dark with no lighting, this gives us a clue to the setting. An over the shoulder shot of the group's point of view of Rex and what he was seeing. As it moves onto a close up of Rex, we see that the group of toys are stood behind Rex blurred, while Rex is clear. As Woody moves next to Rex he becomes in focus for example.

 Editing

The characters and the setting of the place in the extract are all clear and detailed. At the start action is face-paced as they’re running and trying to escape from danger. It then slows down as it’s a sad moment and everyone thinks they are coming to an end and they struggle and give up.

Cinematography

Lots of ranges of shots are used such as; point of view, slow panned, bird’s eye view, medium shot.

Most of the colours and lighting in the start of the film and dark and there is no light. However above the stop button is a flashy whitey, blue light this signifies that this could be what saves them. As they come to the dangerous near death experience part, you see a bright light at the end of the tunnel; however, this isn’t daylight, its fire. Just as they’re being recused a bright, whitey, blue light is shone this gives a sense of heaven and safety. Daylight is also shown at the end to show they’re outside and it makes the setting.

In one part of the extract Jessie calls Woody’s name. Woody then looks down; this is his point of view from a bird’s eye view shot. In the first part of the extract it changes from birds eye shots to medium shots of the whole group a few times. These dramatic changes in shots highlight the smallness of the toys.

Sound & Lighting

Sound

 

 

There are many types of sound in film.

 

Diegetic sound is when the sounds on screen which are relevant to the film, or sounds in the film setting.e.g. voices of the characters, sounds made by objects in the film.

Non-diegetic sound is when sounds not on the screen, or setting that are edited in the scene of a film.e.g. narrator's commentary, soundtrack.

Contrapuntal sound is when sound does not match the actions happening on the screen, for example in a fight in a film classical music could be playing. Classical music doesn't match the action on screen.

Parallel sound however is when sound matches and fits the actions and emotions of the setting on the screen.

Sound bridges are techniques to make the film continuous and smooth. It's when sound from the end of one scene continues into the start of the next scene.

 

Lighting

Key Light: The main light on the subject, which is the brightest light.

Fill Light: Counter acts the key light, which makes the key light softer and it gets rid of harsh shadows.

Back Lighting: Helps add depth to the field, and makes the subject look more 'rounded'. The light source comes from behind the subject to create silhouettes.

Under Lighting: Main source of light comes from below the subject, mainly used in horrors.

Top Lighting: When the main source of light comes from above the subject, highlighting features to create a glamorous and flattering look to a star.

Low Key Lighting: Using only the key and back lights, a sharp contrast of light and dark is created forming deep shadows.

High Key Lighting: More filler lights are used to create a bright, daylight effect.

The Movement of the Camera and Shot Angles

Camera Shots

Extreme Long Shots are  usually used to show an exterior (outside). E.g a landscape, building.

Long Shots show a full image of a humans body from head to toe.

Medium Shots are usually shot from the knees to the waist up. Over the shoulder shots are included as a medium shot. 

Close up shots don't show much of the background but concentrates on one particular image. This shot can magnify an image.

Extreme Close up shots magnify a specific part of a face.



Camera Angles

Bird's eye view angles are shots which are taken overhead.



High view angles are shots taken overhead as well but are not as zoomed out as bird's eye view angles.

Eye level angles show the eye level of an actor/actress or animal, this is more neutral. It is a shot of which the actor/actress is looking directly into the camera.

Low angle shots are shots that emphasise an objects largeness and makes them seem bigger than they actually are.

Point of view shots are used to show what a character is seeing.



Camera Movements

Pan is when the camera is on a tripod, the filming is horizontal and moves from left to right or right to left. The pan can be moved horizontally slowly or quickly. When it is moved quickly it is called a whip pan.

Tilt is when the camera is moved vertically, up and down.

Tracking shots show the movement of something, and it follows the movement of it.

Handheld shots are when the camera operator just holds the camera, the camera can be supported slightly by using a steadicam, this makes the shot of the film shaky and unsteady.

Crane shots can move up, down, left or right and can make swooping movements.

Rolling shots are when the camera tilts and has the effect of someone falling over to the side.



Film Language

Film Language

Media can include a wide variety of things like:

• Advertising
• Print Media
• Public Adverts i.e. Buses, Billboards
• TV
• Newspapers
• Radio
• Music
• Magazines
• Film
• On line Media i.e. Facebook, Websites, Viral, Banners, Animated films

Media is a form of propaganda and can have a big influence on people, it can be positive or negative.

The purpose of Media is to mainly inform and entertain us.

Cross Media Convergence is when one or more different forms of media come together.

Intertextuality is when one text makes reference to another. For example in a Simpsons episode the refer to Star Wars.

Preconceptions are previous expectations, prior knowledge based on past experiences.

Experiential Knowledge is about what you've experienced and how this might influence you and the way you read a film text.

Elements such as Plot, Narrative and Story all have to be included into a film because that's what makes it.
A story should always have a beginning, middle and end but this can be  unfolded in a different order in films. A story is a series of events recorded in their chronological order (linear narrative).

A plot is a series of events deliberately arranged so as to reveal their dramatic, thematic and emotional significance (linear/ non-linear narrative).

The art of good directing, or good storytelling is the ability to plot a story in the most compelling way for an audience. Plotting a filmed story means deciding which events, characters and settings will be seen in the film.

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Hitchcock, (13th August 1899 - 29th April 1980) was a film director and producer in England.

The creator of the films; North by Northwest, Psycho, and Birds, liked to be filmed in some scene in his films, you can see him right at the start of North by Northwest.

Many of his thrillers had all sorts of techniques. And he created many films full of suspense as well as psychological thrillers, he was a master at this sub-genre. He thought that "the only was to get rid of my fears is to make films abou them."

Hitchcock said the following quotes:
"There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it."

"If it's a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on."

"Always make the audience suffer as much as possible."

"I am a typed director. If I made Cinderella, the audience would immediately be looking for a body on the coach."

After achieving the title 'Best British film director'  he moved on to Hollywood.

Hitchcock framed some of his shots to maximise empathy, anxiety and fear.

Many of Hitchcock's films had twists in the end and had the MacGuffin at the end of them, like in the film Birds. The story line of Birds is forgotten half way through as no one in the audience cares that it was a practical joke, we care that the main characters survive.

Alfred Hitchcock liked to put blonde women in his  films. And directed more than 50 feature films.

Alfred Hitchcock had a daughter named Patricia Hitchcock, who became an actress. She is once of the secretaries at the start of Psycho.

Sir Alfred Hitchcock, stated the famous words "Thrillers allow the audience, to put their toe in the cold water of fear to see what it's like".

Alfred Hitchcock and his daughter Patricia Hitchcock.