Planning the shoot of my Thriller film - Miss Begum

Cinematography planning

Cinematography is important within films because it in a sense, sets the mood and prepares for what action ahead may take place within the scene, or can be used to mislead the audience into thinking what may happen next, does not actually happen.
One example of such a situation can include where a close up is used and focused on a door after a off-screen sound of someone knocking on the door is heard.
This then makes us believe that someone is at the door or is about to enter through the door, this is one way cinematography can present a narrative to us as well as allow us to see what is happening within a scene.
An example demonstrating where a long shot can be used can be where it allows the audience to see both the character and the room he is within, while still maintaining a fixed/static position.

Some of the conventional uses of cinematography in thrillers and what will also be included within our cinematography plans consists of the following;

Close ups: To help capture the facial expressions of the characters reaction to a certain point in a scene and to help display it more clearer to the audience to allow them to greater understand what the character is feeling as they experience the current moment unfolding in the scene.

Establishing shot: This will allow the audience to understand where the following scene will be taking place and can also allow the audience to get a rough idea of what may occur or what to expect within the scene if they survey the surroundings ontop of the point of focus which will be the location used. This can be linked with mise en scene as any iconography and settings that are in place (backdrops, etc) can ethier help the audience identify the general setting of the following scene, or can hinder them. Which can also be reffered to as misleading them into making them believe it is a completely different setting to what the following scene will include. A certain scene in the film "Kill Bill" has a perfect example of this;
Reference footage (Kill Bill)


Long shots and Mid-Shots: These types of shots will allow the audience to get a wide and good field of vision in terms of both seeing the character and certain aspects of mise en scene within the scene. (Iconography such as a weapon just in the distance behind the character, etc)
Long shots involve a greater distance than mid-shots, and these offer a greater field of vision, generally used to display a character walking around a room with the camera fixed in a certain postion that allows the audience to see both the entire room and the character exploring within it.
A mid-shot however zooms in closer on the character in general, allowing the audience to pick up more details of the character rather than the setting of the scene, but at the same time it is still included within the shot. The audience at this point may start to notice certain features or elements of the character, such as clothing used and body language.

Editing Planning

Editing is important in films because it can set the pace of a movie, for example; fast paced editing usually consists of a lot of cuts within a short period of time making the movie seem more fast paced, usually used in chase scenes in a thriller.

Some conventional uses of editing within thrillers usually include of;
- Fade to black; Usually consisting of a scene which then fades slowly to black, mostly after a main part of a scene has taken place, or to show the transistion from one day to the next, most likely included to be with a subtitle (On the next day...)
- Slow paced editing; Used within moments to build up slow suspense by using only a small amount of cuts, with mostly a longer time focusing on certain shots, for example, close up shots to display the characters emotion during the high suspensive moments within a thriller film scene before it then cuts and changes the shot.
- Fast paced editing; This is used within certain moments within a scene that act as a "quick burst" of events, consisting of many straight cuts and possible cross cuts if it involves two seperate characters in different scenes.
One example of using a cross cut with fast paced editing can be an employer is late for work, the camera cross cuts from the employer looking at his watch, to then the boss in his office looking at his clock, then back to the employer rushing out of the house.

While on the other hand, an example of fast paced editing consisting of straight cuts can include a use of an off-screen sound, where someone appears to be knocking on the door late at night, the camera focuses on the door as the noise of the knocking is played. Once the noise has finished, it then cuts to a close up of the character inside the house, displaying his/her expressions to the audience, which then cuts back to a mid shot where the characters back is facing the camera but the door is also in focus infront of the character, giving us; the audience, that the character is nervous on what to do in terms of answering the door or to ignore it.

Sound Planning

Sound is an important use in films because it is a mirco element that both adds and provides an atmosphere to a scene.

An example of using sound while following a generic thriller conention can include adding non-digetic sound in the form of a soundtrack which has a slow, tension building pace to it which is being used within a scene where a killer is slowly approaching to where the victim is hiding.

Another example of sound in use of a generic thriller can include using off-screen in a scene where a killer is approaching a victim. This can be heard in the form of footsteps being heard in the distance outside the current room the victim is in. Where the character (victim) stares at the door, in which the camera also cuts to a first person perspective view of a close up of the door in which the footsteps are played and increases in volume gradually, giving the impression that the possible killer is approaching the door and coming ever more closer to his victim. thus building slow tension in the process as it leaves the audience to question if the killer is toying with his victim, if the killer may approach the door but then turn away, or if the killer will go from a very slow paced walk to a run and rush straight into the room.