Research Findings

Only just realised I had not put this up.
Firstly, my questionnaire results, out of 10 people.

I asked Four main things, as well as some open questions. The closed questions were 'Age/Gender (The target audience was males in their late teens/ early twenties but I got a range) as well as each participants favourite genres and their thoughts on thriller films. Open questions were 'Favourite Actor, Favourite Director, Favourite Film, the best part of the film experience'. Most of the participants in the survey said they preferred Thriller films to other genres, although there was positive reactions to other genres like Action and Comedy. Many said they would see a film after watching a trailer, although it helped if they knew the actors or director, showing that there is still 'star power' within Hollywood.

Secondly was the independent research I conducted.

From the openings of various films (written up here are 'Pretty Woman', 'Dodgeball', 'Layer Cake' and 'Silence of the Lambs', but there are others) I have learned that the openings of films must introduce at least two things: character and plot. Thriller films like Silence of the Lambs, but also films like Inception and Shutter Island tension and suspense should be created. This is important, because the film I wish to create should focus on the protagonist's journey, and so both character and plot are equally important, however suspense must be built as it's a thriller.

I used 'Dawn of the Dead' remake and Four Lions as a comparison of opening titles, and decided to go for an in-between. keeping it short like 'Four Lions' but having text over black like in 'Dawn of the Dead'. I felt that this, coupled with opening music creates tension but the length allows me to get straight into the action without it being interrupted by the titles.

Finally the narrative structure. The equilibrium and disequilibrium will be addressed in the opening (the protagonists life with his fiancée and her death) with the rest of the film being the quest (trying to forgive himself and stop the visions of her). The agent of change would be the killer, and the return to normality would be when the protagonist forgives himself and the killer is caught.