Destruction of The Usual Suspects opening

Mise en Scene
The first object shown is matches being set on fire. The fire symbolises danger and uprising, setting the mood for the rest of the film.
Low key lighting is used to create a dark, suspenseful effect. As everything looks very dark and unrecognisable, this scene is very disorientating for the viewers and a tense atmosphere is built up.
Camerawork
Close ups of the fire is disorientating for the audience, and the shot with a man's body in the background fits with the codes and conventions of the crime thriller genre.
The high angle shot of the victim puts him in a vulnerable position, and the slow tilt up of the antagonist puts him in the position of power, creating fear for the audience. Also this movement stops before his face is revealed, creating mystery and suspense, as his identity is concealed.
Sound
The non-diegetic music is composed of mostly strings, creating a sinister and dark atmosphere, which sets the tone for the whole sequence.
The diegetic sounds of the antagonist's footsteps build tension, especially as the lighting is so dark that only a black silhouette of the character is shown, and the pace of his steps slow down, as the non-diegetic music continues to build up.
Editing
Straight cut edits are used throughout the sequence. The simplicity of the editing allows the audience to focus on the complex plot, mise en scene, camera work and sound.

Destruction of Se7en opening title

Title
The title of the film appears first, which creates suspense as the audience don't know what the film is going to be about. The white, typewriter like font against the black background makes it look old and worn down, as well as ominous.
Mise en Scene
Razor blades and other sharp objects are shown, this sets the tone for the whole movie and keeps the audience on edge.
To add to this, blood is also shown as this ties in with the codes and conventions of the genre.
It is evident that the character has little interest in hygiene as lot's of dirty objects are shown.
A sense of fear is created as very dark, hard to distinguish objects are often displayed.
Camerawork 
Close up point of view shots from the killer's perspective of objects that have some significance later within the film foreshadows the events that will take place later on.
Also close up's of the killers hands disorientates the audience along with creating fear.
Sound
The diegetic sounds of rustling paper and objects implies that the character is very focused.
The non-diegetic music creates an ominous effect as well as discomfort, as it is very shrill and loud.
Editing
The shots are very slow and fade into each other, building up tension and suspense.
It is a montage, which demonstrates the killers process and the extent of planning he went to.
Disorientation and fear are created as words flicker on and off screen.
Also the red filter that is used suggests blood and anger.

Shot list

Location

Picking a good filming location is an important process of making any film, the horror genre in particular. There are several examples of iconic horror movie locations:

Mental Asylums-

Seventy-Nine (2014)

 Asylum (1972)

Creepy Campsites-                                     Friday 13th (1980)

Motels/Hostels 

Psycho (1960)

Hostel (2005)

And perhaps the most conventional horror story setting- a cabin in the woods

Cabin in the Woods (2012)



Truth or Dare (2012)

We have also chosen a cabin to set our film:

This is the exterior for our cabin, and we are using an old attic as the interior:

There is one bright, harsh light source, which creates an eerie lighting effect from the left, leaving the right side in shadowy darkness.

The chimney breast is the centre of the room and this will be where the victim is tied up.





Our Plot

OPENING SCENE

A girl wakes up to discover she has been tied up in a shed. She has been hit over the head, and has blood dripping from her temple. She stands up and looks around, terrified by what she sees. Dozens of photos of her, are on the wall- taken without her knowledge. Someone has been stalking her. There are newspaper articles reporting on the story of her past: (She stole money from her boyfriends to pay for her cocaine addiction but wasn't prosecuted.) If seeing the photos isn't enough, she then hears footsteps. A man enters and pushes her against the wall. He begins cutting the rope that binds her hands- is he saving her? When the girl asks him how to get out, he pushes her to the floor- she was wrong in thinking he could save her. He drags her up from the floor by her hair and picks up a rope to strangle her. Once she is struggling to breathe her last breaths, he picks up a knife and slashes her throat. Her lifeless body slumps to the floor and her empty eyes stare ahead.

Location Scouting

Before deciding on our location, we looked at lots of different possibilities:

A Cemetery is a good setting for a horror movie, but it might be hard to film there.

A creepy, secluded car park in Woolwich is another suggestion.

Children's playgrounds are often used in horror films, for example 'Nightmare on Elm Street'.

An old public bathroom would be quite a good place to film, without having too many disturbances.

Codes and Conventions of Horror

We are planning to film a Horror Film, and have researched the codes and conventions of the horror genre. These factors contribute to an appropriate style that will meet audience expectations, while hopefully exceeding them, because after all, a good horror should always have parts the audience does not expect.


Codes

• Camera work (close ups of the characters to show their emotion).   
  
  
  
  
• Long shots (establish the location as well as what the characters are doing).
• These long shots could also be interpreted as POV shots, as if he character is being watched from afar.
• Fast paced music (create suspense). 

Conventions of a thriller

The character might be:

• Materialistic
• Street-smart
• Immoral
• Meglo-maniacal 
• Self-destructive. 
• Rivalry with other criminals in gangster warfare is often a significant plot characteristic.
• They rise to power showing an ambitious desire for success and recognition, but underneath they can express sensitivity and gentleness.