Evaluation Question One

Introduction My Opening Title Sequence is typical of the Thriller genre. It includes fairly dark lighting, most scenes being situated in dingy, isolated urban areas to reflect Eli’s solidarity. These aspects are typical of the Thriller genre as they develop the theme of evil and corruption, creating a sense of fear within the audience. Additionally, the theme of isolation is constructed and is conventional of Thriller as the fact that there is ‘no one around to hear you scream’. We incorporated crime to help develop the main element of disruption to help prompt the narrative and begin to shape character representation. Also the crime aspect gives the sequence an additional level of intensity, creating an effective Thriller sequence by adding another sub-genre. We were inspired by the criminal aspects of the film ‘Kidulthood’ which used similar gritty, urban settings, similarly having a drug related theme.

Title of the film We named our film Recreation, which is defined as ‘activity done for enjoyment when one is not working’. It is an ambiguous term as it has multiple connotations. We initially called it ‘Recreation’ as it links with our sequence theme of buying and selling drugs (recreational drug use). However, due to the fact that our protagonist is selling drugs, he is negatively ‘re- creating’ himself into a dark and selfish anti-hero.

Title font and style The font we used for all the titles was ‘kshandwrt’ which portrayed an urban graffiti style. This related well to the urban streets of the Brighton Lanes as there are many places with exotic graffiti around. This adds to the crime element of the film because it suggests that there is an edgy element to our main character’s behaviour, giving the impression that the film will consist of a series of crimes and illegal activity.

Costumes & Props Our main character wears black trousers and a black hoodie with a black beanie to ensure he stands out from the urban surroundings. Black is a lonely colour which is why we chose it to suit his character as he is filmed on his own throughout the entire OTS. The black outfit connotes his state of mind: being quite dark and depressed. Although his clothes help him to stand out in an urban environment against brightly coloured walls, he tries to conceal his identity by wearing a hat.

Camerawork & Editing We filmed for 10 minutes straight to record the time lapse which we then edited so that Euan was played in normal time and his surroundings was sped up. We used cross dissolves and brightness adjustments to get the shot to look as smooth as possible. This created an interesting perspective of Eli’s dark ambitions and need for money with the £20 note in the background, reflecting well on the narrative.

Setting/Location We set our OTS in Brighton. We filmed in Preston Park to start off with and then recorded shots in the North Lanes and the seafront. We managed to get the famous Palace Pier and the Brighton Eye in the time lapse so that the audience established where the film is set, appealing to our local audience.

Storyline The OTS shows drug deals taking place and flash-forward scenes of money placed on tables and drugs being used. This implies to the audience that the storyline is about selling and using drugs, fitting in perfectly with the title ‘Recreation’. Drug use can be quite typical of crime-thrillers like Brian De Palma’s ‘Scarface’ for example. The use of narcotics in the OTS reflects on Eli’s recklessness and lack of intelligence, casting a spell for disaster later on in the film…

Genre This frame conveys a close up of money passing through two sets of hands making it obvious drug deals are taking place.This suggests our genre as drug dealing tends to be a typical feature in crime thrillers and is conventional. This reflects Eli's desire to make money, which is a key narrative element as his greed could cause his downfall.

How characters are introduced This image shows a medium shot of two sub characters, who are unknown to the audience doing a drug deal. They are involved in the very early stage of our OTS as it suggests the genre. It fits to the generic conventions of this genre well as the characters resemble dealers or drug users. This shot could be inspired by many films.

Special Effects This image portrays Eli standing up against heavily graffitied wall. This shot is continued on for around 10-15 seconds, having flashes of stacks of money appear, syncing to the music. This is effective along with the song as it creates tension, which is a key element in thrillers.