Planning our thriller film

Group members: Ellie Malhotra, Lars Ohrvik-Stott, Elly Ross and Izzy

Sieveking

Production company name: Rear Window Productions – we chose this name because of the close links between Hitchcock's film Rear Window, which follows a witness to a murder. This film is a classic thriller, so by naming our production company this we establish the thriller genre immediately.

Title of thriller: Flashpoint – a 'flash point' is defined as “a place, event, or time at which violence or hostility flares up” which links to the violent murder in our thriller opening. The word 'flash' also links to the camera used in our piece by the witness.

Synopsis● Grace is walking through the marshes , taking photos of the scenery.

● (Mid/establishing shot, close ups of hand on camera, and tracking high angle shot showing vulnerability).

● During this series of shots, Grace passes Lizzie and Fred. Fred is holding Lizzie's hand, a little too tight. Grace doesn't pay much attention.

● (Close ups of holding hands, tilt shots of Lizzie and Fred, shot reverse shot between the two parties passing eachother).

● Grace stops to take more photos, and quick cutting will show the scene of Fred and Lizzie in a fight with a weapon and Grace zooming in with her camera. She sees the violence by mistake through her camera and now has photos of the scene.

● (Quick close up tilt shots of violence eg. a hand with a weapon, blood flying etc., POV zooming in shot from Grace's camera's perspective showing the fight from more of a distance then getting very close, close up reaction shot of Grace's face holding the camera).

● Lizzie overcomes Fred in the fight and he lays on the floor, assumed dead. She turns and spots Grace's red scarf, showing up brightly against the natural greens around her. This is the cliffhanger, as you worry for the safety of the protagonist Grace.

● (Over the shoulder shot of Grace holing the camera, tilted close ups panning round Fred on the ground and Lizzie standing over him, worm's eye shot of Lizzie, POV from camera's perspective showing Lizzie seeing Grace).

Storyboard

CharactersWe have chosen three actors to appear in our thriller: Charlotte Green, Beth Harman and Eddy Youngs.

•Charlotte will be playing Grace, the witness. We chose the name Grace as an inter-textual reference to Grace Kelly, who appears in Rear Window as a witness to a murder. She is blonde, which connotes innocence and angelic-ness, and Grace Kelly is also blonde, which furthers the reference. Also, she is slim and medium-height which makes her more vulnerable to the killer.

•Beth will be playing Lizzie, the killer. We chose the name Lizzie as an inter-textual reference to Lisbeth Salander, the original ‘femme-fatale’ in the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. We wanted this to echo the ‘femme-fatale’ stereotype in Lizzie, and she also has dark hair and is of small height. We chose this because the dark hair connotes mystery and dark/shady morals and her small size and the idea that she is a female killer challenges stereotypes of females being weak, and the killer being a man.

•Eddy will be playing Fred, the victim. We chose the name Fred as an inter-textual reference to Fred MacMurray who plays Walter Neff in Double Indemnity, a famous noir thriller. We chose to reference this character because firstly, he is an arrogant, dominant male character but also, he is murdered by a woman – challenging traditional gender stereotypes.

Location – Marston Marshes

We decided on Marston Marshes because of its picturesque setting, which creates a stark contrast to the violence of what happens there in our thriller. Also, the isolated and openness of the space creates vulnerability for the witness character, and is a reference to other thrillers such as Essex Boys and No Country For Old Men.

Because of its isolated setting, there are few people, cars or background noise which will ease shooting and there is a mixture of wide, open spaces and more confined spots within the woods that we also use.

Costume - Lizzie

Hair tied back – shows practicality and calmness - calculating

Dark clothes – suggests mystery and 'shady' morals. Also links to the noir genre (black and white).

Red nails – connotes danger and deviance.Femme fatale

Trousers suggest practicality and masculine attributes - strength

Heeled boots are both practical and impractical – shows her femininity and deviance, and also her power and dominance

Costume - Grace Red scarf – signifies

danger (for the witness) as this is how they get noticed.Also shows femininity which makes her seem more vulnerable

Brown boots – shows practicality and blends in with the surroundings (witness)

Camera – the witness is in the woods taking photographs

Green parka – adds to the camouflage of the witness and shows her practicality and sensibility

Costume - Fred

Trainers – athletic and fit.Challenges stereotypes as woman manages to overpower him

Blue clothing suggests confidence and masculinity