edited version of Treatment for AS Media Thriller opening

1. NOTE: It is expected this will be between 4-5 pages of detailed information with images or videos,
giving reasons for your creative decisions/practicalities of your production (how realistic is it, will
you encounter any health and safety issues, etc?)!
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A!
TREATMENT!
FOR (film title)!
To be decided !
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Prepared by (group name and names of who prepared the treatment)!
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Charles Howe, Charles Clatworthy, Waka Ramanal !
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Date!
Thursday the 19th of March!
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Example: It is proposed that the film will be of 4 to 5 Minutes duration,
and that it will be filmed at the following locations (include reasons why
you have chosen these locations): Auckland central business district
specifically on Quay street, this is chosen as the street is busy and the
character is unidentified, this civilian infested street keeps the character
unidentified. !
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The second location is a derelict looking house, we use this because it
adds to the characters background of them being sinister suspicious and
adds to the theme of speculation as we are constantly wondering who
these characters are and what they are doing. !
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Our last location is North wharf also known as wynyard quarter
we chose this location as we need a deep body of water but also
the use of the wharf gives a much more isolated connotation,
which needs to be achieved as the characters are seen to be
committing a crime, the isolation of this setting also adds to the
suspense of the film of wondering will they get caught and what
exactly are they doing. The industrial look adds a darker setting
and atmosphere.!
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2. This film will include the following conventions of thriller films (details of why these are chosen and
how they will interest your target audience):!
Dark logo design, this is used because it is reflective of thriller genre and its general dark !
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and mysterious tone. this will also interest our target audience because they will be able to easily
identify the thriller genre !
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Non-focused-text (black on white) to convey suspense and
mystery. Starts as out of focus, then into focus briefly before
returning to being out of focus.!
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Low-key lighting reflective of general thriller conventions, relates
to the idea of being unaware of the unknown and the suspense it
creates. this will be used almost constantly throughout our thriller
opening because it adds to the idea of these main characters
being undefined as the low key lighting covers their identities, this
will attract the target audience as they see it as essential in the
thriller genre and therefore are more intrigued to watch!
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Warm colours, including reds, browns, etc. Red is a colour used
often in thrillers symbolising death which is important for the
narrative the sequence follows. Red is a vitally important theme and
symbol with our thriller opening as it hints at the idea that the object
inside the plastic wrapping is a body!
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Diegetic sound of the car whilst driving, the body in the trunk, bumps
of the road, suspension, radio, car door closing/opening, etc. this diabetic sounds helps set the
scene and add further foreshadowing to the idea that the large object in the trunk is a body, which
interests the audience as it is reassuring their decisions !
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Ambient sound as second character enters car, gives a break from the narrative in the car and
suggests that the outside world is still operating and that the events occurring could be happening
right now. This creates a true airy sense to the audience because it makes them realise how this
could easily be happening at any second of the day, this involves them more in the opening
sequence which makes the target audience more interested in it !
Sound ranges!
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After watching the following thriller films/thriller openings I have been influenced by (include
reasons of what you were influenced by and why you would like to use a particular technique) !
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The thriller film taken- the use of change from high key lighting to low key lighting when Bryan Mills
daughter is taken, this helps set the depressing and mysterious tone of the rest of the film, we use
this low key lighting to create this sinister and mysterious effect !
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the thriller film The Invisible influences us because it has a relativity similar plot line of a boy being
murdered and dumped into a sewer in the woods, the rest of the plot entails him walking around as
a ghost trying to get people to uncover his murder, The use of the thriller convention of death but

3. specifically cold blooded murder and the dumping of bodies was a crucial influence in our thriller
opening !
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The thriller film Vertigo has influenced largely with the use of score to enhance and saturate
scenes, it also brings depth to the suspense that is created in the film. It can match action for
example the tracking shot of!
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Problems encountered (limitations and constraints, health and safety issues, how realistic is your
idea, etc?)!
We will not be together during the holidays which will leave a two week gap of work. !
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Charles Clatworthy has a car which may not be able to fit the low key lighting and dark mood of the
scene. as it is dark blue and not a black which would work much better !
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The location of the scene will be pretty easy to find as it only needs to consist with a car and body
bag. But the filming while driving will be quite dangerous. So we will have to extra precautions
when filming while driving.!
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One of the shots of Opening will have a person in a body bag, which could cause harm to his body.!
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it will not be simple to create a fake missing persons report come out of the car radio. So this will
be technology challenging !
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will have to edit in the abstract red colour in too many scenes, but at the same time make it look
natural !
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The film will include the following (details needed on why these will be used and how they will
enhance the narrative/mood/tone/understanding of the film - please do not just add bullet points.
You must be specific by giving reasons of why/how they’ll interest a target audience and conform
to genre conventions):!
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(1) Character names and their motivations/representation in the film:!
Driver: the main character in the narrative. he drives the car in the street until meeting with another
man known as the ‘passenger’. The Driver has an implied relationship with the passenger that was
developed far before this scene.!
Passenger: Has apparently done a job for the Driver beforehand and is picked up by him. The
passenger has had done a job with the Driver, but is never really revealed what this illegal job was.!
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(2) Ideology!
The ideology of our film is mystery and suspense as we never find out the identities of the main
character or what truly is the large object in the boot of the car that is thrown in the ocean. This is a
convention of the thriller genre as it is common for many questions to be left unanswered !
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(3) Mood and Tone: !
The mood is sinister and mysterious and but not give too much away to give the reader a sense of
obscurity from the narrative, whilst still keeping them entertained and intrigued. this will interest the
target audience !
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(4) Camera Shots, camera movement/lighting/angles, lighting:!
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There will be the use the of aerial shots as the car pulls in to the area
its dumping the body !
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over the shoulder shots of the driver in the car !
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overhead shots as the two characters dump the object in the water , shot
reverse shot!
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There is also the use of mid shot, close up, panning shots will be used. In
reference to angles we will use tilts and panning. All of the film will be in low
key lighting besides from possible stock footage and establishing shots !
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(5) Themes and motifs:!
Mystery and sinister actions. !
the unknown !
Lack of identity !
Murder and death!
The ocean !
Darkness !
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(6) Narrative!
An unidentified character drives through a city environment as the radio plays a news coverage of
a missing person report. The driver pulls up to the curb outside a derelict looking house, turning
down the radio to a dull buzz as a second character, also unidentified, gets into the car. !
The two characters talk briefly, referring to a job well done and an object of importance located in
the trunk of the car. !
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As the car drives over speed bumps a dull thump can be heard from the boot as the suspension
makes it move around inside, suggesting something heavy. The two men pull up in the car and
open the trunk to reveal a large object wrapped up in plastic, possibly a human body. !
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The two men struggle to carry the body towards the body of water they have parked in front of,
before weighing the body down and dumping it. The men then watch the body until it disappears,
before getting back into the car and driving away.!
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5. Narrative must be reflective of the thriller genre in its obscurity and dealings with ideas of the
unknown that is the underlying human fear. The characters, setting, mise-en-scene, etc must all be
mysterious and suspenseful.!
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(5) Mise-en-scene/setting:!
The mise en scene is the use of a BMW car !
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dark clothing!
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a object that is a body bag but never really relieved that it is that.!
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there is the use of dark settings such as the industrial isolated
wharf and the desolate house the second character walks out of. !
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(6) Symbolism:!
The symbol of darkness will be represented with low key lighting and dark clothing. !
The large object in plastic wrapping is a symbol of death and murder without acutely ovib fully
showing it!
the dark coloured car is also a symbol of darkness !
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(7) Sound and music:!
Diegetic sound of the car whilst driving, the body in the trunk, bumps of the road, suspension,
radio, car door closing/opening, etc.!
Ambient sound as second character enters car, gives a break from the narrative in the car and
suggests that the outside world is still operating and that the events occurring could be happening
right now.!
Sound ranges!
possible sound tracks are from the bands the Red hot chilli peppers and Credence clearwater
revival.!
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(8) Mood and tone:!
Mood of the opening sequence needs to be mysterious and not give too much away to give the
reader a sense of obscurity from the narrative, whilst still keeping them entertained and intrigued.!
Tone will imply mystery and obscurity of the character’s identities and background to add to the
suspense created during the sequence.!
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(9) Use of credits and logos:!
There will be a Dark logo design reflective of thriller genre and its general tone. Rolling credits will
be used after!
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(10) Editing: !
we will use continuity editing, but we will also use jump cuts, cutaways, match on action and
eyeliner match on action. Constantly holding the 180 rule throughout the film.!
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A summary of what the trailer entails goes here for your opening only (not the whole film). Explain
what will happen under the following:!
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BEGINNING: It starts of with one of the main characters, who stay unidentified driving through the
city centre until he reaches a desolate and run down house. the second main character who is also
unidentified walks out of the house and gets in to the car they have a short conversation which its
details are not easy to pick up on and the main subject remains unknown !
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THE CONFLICT/TENSION IN THE TRAILER:!
the Large object that is wrapped in plastic in the boot of the car as we do not know what it is and
how it go there, we have no idea of its origin or what is going to be done with it. it has the
implication of the audience asking themselves many questions on what it is.!
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The second cause of tension in the trailer is we do not know the identities of the two main
characters, we almost know nothing about them at all, and there motives and reason for being in
the film remains a mystery, which creates a great tension for the audience !
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MIDDLE:!
The middle contains the two characters pulling up to the wharf and unloading the large object out
of the boot with great struggle, when they reach the end of the wharf they start to weigh the object
down by tying rocks to it.!
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END:!
The end of the trailer sees the two characters throw the large object over the end of the wharf, with
an overhead shot of this action and of the men standing in silence watching it slowly sink until it
disappears completely, they then proceeded back to there car and drive away !
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