AS Media Coursework
Brief: The opening sequence of a new thriller, including the titles, aimed at a 15
or 18 certificate audience (approximately two minutes duration).
*While planning and making your Thriller you must keep a record of your activities
which you can refer back to when writing up your production log.
Production Report – 2000 WORDS MAXIMUM – Approximately 500 words for
each section. Your First Draft must be DOUBLE SPACED!
Part 1 - Discuss the brief in relation to your initial research into Thriller films
and their intended audience.
Refer to specific Thrillers. What did you discover?
Consider the following:
 Generic conventions – how we identify the film as a thriller from the various generic
convention including the semiotics of the location, lighting, actors and the general
mise-en-scene?
 Representation - how people are presented in the film. How do the different
characters comply with a certain generic role or stereotypes? What are the functions
of the characters – see Propp and Todorov.
 The use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound: music, soundtrack, voiceover, ambient
background/foreground noise.
 When, where and how the titles or opening credits appear, what information they give
the audience and how did they match or enhance the mood/style of the film?
 Who is the audience and what evidence can you offer for this?
Part 2 - Planning and pitching the production
Consider the following:
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Your initial idea for the opening: scripting, storyboarding, making/obtaining props.
Explain WHO did these tasks and WHY they are done.
Explain and justify your choice of location and cast. (you may examine the success
and semiotics of these in more detail in part 4)
What audience are you aiming at and how/why will your film appeal to them?
The representation of characters in your Thriller. Did you use or subvert character
types or stereotypes such as the ruthless mob boss, sinister psychopath, world weary
detective, vulnerable victim, femme fatale etc?
Did you play on the audience’s recognition of actual existing characters or events
from previous films using intertextual appeal? (ie Uma Thurman’s role in Kill Bill
recalls her character, Mia Wallace, in Pulp Fiction and when she wears the yellow
tracksuit it is a direct reference/homage to Bruce Lee in his last film). Where there
any practical problems in assigning roles?
Who did what and why? Comment clearly on the responsibilities within your group,
developing an analysis of how a media institution or film production company works:
Comment on the need to multi-task, work to deadlines, be organised and know
conventions as well as being creative.
Part 3 - Constructing the production – technical decisions and revisions
*When discussing the film-making process you must use and show understanding of
appropriate technical terminology i.e., establishing long shot, high angle close-up, cut, fade,
dissolve etc and explain WHY they were used; how they create meaning for the viewer.
During the actual PRODUCTION (not planning) who did what within your group or media
institution?
i.e. director, camera, sound cast and directing cast, location(s), costumes, props, postproduction sound and music, voiceover, editing etc.
Briefly explain how and why the various roles and tasks were allotted and what they
involved?
Did people multitask; swapping and sharing roles?
Were some tasks better suited to an individual approach and others benefit from a
collaborative approach?
What happened on set? Did it all go to plan? Were there any changes? Why?
Talk about your selection of shots for various effects and any revisions you made on
reviewing your footage explaining why.
Comment on the editing process using Pinnacle Studio 10 explaining how it enhanced,
changed and improved your thriller’s impact and meaning.
Analyse the use and effect of your titles to set an appropriate tone.
Part 4 - Evaluation – be positive but honest
Have you used the thriller’s repertoire of elements to create a generically conventional film
opening or did you subvert expectations? Mention the balance you have to make between
repetition and innovation, stating why.
How does your film opening establish the characters, story or theme, tone and expectations?
(Talk about the semiotics and connotations)
Who is your target audience and why will it appeal to them? (Discuss representation)
How does your finished opening compare to ‘real’ media productions? Use your own & your
peers’ audience evaluation to analyse your work: Did they react how you expected,
understand your motives/intentions and see the theme or aim of your film? YOU MUST
include Textual Analysis of your production.
You may Mention the possibilities and the limitations of what you could do with the time
and resources at your disposal but be realistic and don’t whinge!
What have you learned about the production process and yourself? What would you do
differently next time?
What are you most pleased with and why?
Check and add your WORD COUNT and NUMBER the pages. Is it DOUBLE
SPACED?
It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to CHECK and CORRECT your ERRORS. YOU
MUST thoroughly re-read your work making sure it is clear and accurate. Re-write any
clumsy or confusing sentences and amend spelling and punctuation errors.
S. Adams