Initial ideas for my production

From my research analysis I understand the concept and conventions of the thriller genre and my analysis into relevant existing thriller films has given me examples that I can develop into my own ideas, I believe I am now ready to start planning my production with initial ideas. My research synopsis for ‘London to Brighton’ has given me the option of using a social realist thriller theme for my own production. I will try to incorporate its realism with its pricing diagetic noise and gritty visual picture by using digital video cameras with lots of hand held movement; this would interest the audience with its urban setting and realism. I believe these conventions mainly meet the typical conventions of the thriller genre because these are techniques that enhance anxiety and anticipation. However it could be argued that these conventions challenge the thriller genre due to the lack of progressive score climaxing eventually. Also like ‘From London to Brighton’ my film will have a social realism element to it in terms of the theme being about drug and street crime which I believe would be a development of the thriller genre into a hybrid genre.

The opening sequence would start with a montage of scenes or shots of the set location which will be Camden, know for its drug capital. At first the intro would be set in the underground so the audience will know the sequence is set in London but not know exactly caused apprehension.

The sequence is set in an alley way on a rainy day suggesting negativity to the audience. It begins with a crane shot of what seems to be a meeting point for two characters to set the scene for the audience. Whilst the camera pans, tilting downwards, we reach a hooded character who, it seems, is waiting for someone or something to arrive. The audience is shown another character and with a panning shot we follow him down the stairs into the same alley way. As they meet we see a close up handshake which is used to disguise an exchange of what the audience would perceive to be drugs. As we see both of them walk away after the drug deal, the camera follows both characters leave. We are then introduced to another character who is smoking outside in his back garden the camera is tilted slightly upward, this is because he is a main character and suggests he is important. The audience then see the person who we saw earlier under the bridge of a tunnel, an ideal location to represent in this social realist urban thriller because there is lots of graffiti and it is dark, a perfect place for crime. The audience is then apprehensive of the communication occurring between these two characters and we soon realist the plot when we see what might happen later and that one character has left his house with a knife. I have chosen to end my opening sequence here as a cliff-hanger to create suspense and apprehension and this is typically used in the thriller genre for the audience to make their own minds up about what happens next.

Apart from the diagetic sound to create anxiety, I will challenge thriller conventions by using popular urban music to allow the audience to relate to the realism more, this would limit my ability to control the pace of the sequence with sound but I believe the repetitive beat adds unending motion like a city to keep its pace going.

The first purpose of this opening sequence is to introduce a narrative slowly with suspension first, continuing into a fast paced thrilling film such as kidulthood, therefore I have used little dialogue to keep a fast pace and due to insufficient equipment reducing the quality of the diagetic sound.