Individual/Own Ideas for the Thriller Production

    For our thriller production, my idea is to open with a plain black screen with the diegetic sound of heavy breathing as to unsettle the audience, also creating a sense of ambiguity as the audience don't know what is happening. The diegetic sound of heavy breathing will create a sound bridge to the first action shot - a long shot of a girl (girl A) running on a dismal, overcast beach- with the diegetic sound of the girl running on the surface of the beach along with the heavy breathing. This will help to connote the negative atmosphere of the scene and what is actually happening within it; along with the primeval setting of the beach which helps to create a predatory feel, as well as enabling us to use ambient lighting due the gritty and dismal effect created by the dark, overcast beach setting.

   
    We would have a non-linear narrative, so there would then be a flashback to girl A with another girl (girl B); where it would show them being 'friends'. The flashbacks would be in black and white as to enable the audience to differentiate between the flashback scenes and the 'real time' scenes, as well as it linking to other thriller films such as 'Dead Man's Shoes' and 'Kill Bill' - where the flashback's are also black and white. 

An example of black and white being used for flashbacks in 'Dead Man's Shoes' can be found at about 0:32.

An example of black and white being used for flashbacks in ''Kill Bill' can be found at about 0:26.

     There would then be a point of view shot filmed on a hand held camera - from the point of view of the 'thing' she's running from- of the girl running, where she will then hear a strange sound from behind her; causing her to look over her shoulder- followed by the diegetic sound of a heartbeat. The use of the hand held camera will help to create a sense of fear and urgency from the character, as well as disorientating the audience which will help to build tension within the viewers.

    
    Following that would be a mid shot of girl A's legs running past the camera, which would then be followed by another mid shot of the aggressor's legs following girl A. This would help to build tension as it gives the audience a  glimpse of the antagonist, which may help to 'humanise' them. All of these shots would have the diegetic sound of running on the beach surface and heavy breathing. This would be followed by another flashback of girl A with girl B, but this time it would seem as if something is different about the girls, whether it be the look on their face or the way they hold themselves- which will be used to build suspicion and tension as you don't know what is going on with them; creating a sense of enigma. There would then be a wide tracking shot of girl A running across the beach, without showing the aggressor behind her, from whom she is running from. This would help to present a false sense of security or hope within the audience for girl A, as according to this shot it may seem as if she isn't actually running from anything any more.

    
    This would then be contradicted with an over the shoulder shot of girl A, filmed from behind (over the shoulder of) the antagonist who is chasing her. This would bring back the element of fear as it shows that girl A isn't actually safe, and hasn't managed to 'get away'.

     
    This would then be followed by a 360° shot of girl A looking around her, with there being no sign of the antagonist. This would disorientate the audience whilst helping to build suspense as it gives the feel that something is about to happen. 

There would be the use of a 360° shot, similar to the shot seen at about 1:24 in this clip of 'Hot Fuzz'

    As the shot gets back to the front of the girl, she would suddenly go still; where over her  shoulder, girl B would appear. The scene would then cut out to a plain black screen again - very similar to the one at the beginning of the thriller opening, in an almost 'call back' like fashion, with the diegetic sound of girl A's heart beat and heavy breathing, along with the title of the production appearing on the screen. 

     

   This would then raise tension and suspense within the audience, keeping the viewers attention and making them want to see what happens next; hopefully making an interesting and effective opening to a thriller film.