Location notes- Peter Otuwehinmi

So far we already go to the college that the beginning of the thriller starts. But the main issue would be finding a suitable ally for the girl to be chased in. We do have many ideas but we would need an ally that has a safe entrance and exit for the car to be parked. Pictures of the possible alleys that we could use will be uploaded at a later date.

Genre research - Todorov's Theory (Emmanuel Olobio)

Tzvetan Todorov is a Bulgarian philosopher who's theory entails five stages in which the narrative can pass through.

• A state of equilibrium (all is as it should be)
• A disruption of that order by an event
• A recognition that the disorder has occurred
• An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption
• A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium

The theory basically means that the disequilibrium (the problem in the narrative) needs to be restored, e.g a kidnapping or revenge for a murder. But when the equilibrium is restored (happy ending) it is in someway different to the start of the story. Through the disequilibrium the characters or situations progress (or grow) in either confidence,physical ability, intellectually etc this process is called character transformation.

Here is Todorov's framework for his theory-
• A murder happens and people are terrified
• Someone vanishes and the characters have to solve the mystery
• Narratives don’t need to be linear.
• The progression from initial equilibrium to restoration always involves a
transformation.
• The middle period of a narrative can depict actions that transgress everyday habits and
routines.
• There can be many disruptions whilst seeking a new equilibrium.

Narrative Codes - Emmanuel Olobio

Narrative is a way in which you tell a story, but is different from a story in that the narrative is in the way that the story is related. When looking at narrative there are codes in which examine in order to find its meaning, these conventions are genre, character, form and time. Time is a convention when looking at narrative as for instance a persons life can be shown in a block of 2 hours.



Roland Barthes was famous for unlocking the fabric of narrative structure. Roland Barthes describes a text as “a galaxy of signifiers, not a structure of signifieds; it has no beginning; it is reversible; we gain access to it by several entrances, none of which can be authoritatively declared to be the main one; the codes it mobilizes extend as far as the eye can read, they are indeterminable...the systems of meaning can take over this absolutely plural text, but their number is never closed, based as it is on the infinity of language...” . In this passage he is describing texts as a quilt with different threads that when analyzing can be pulled apart. Barthes came up with the codes in which suspense can be created in your narrative.


Enigma is a code in a narrative where it creates mystery for instance in the 'Bourne' series jason Bourne wakes up with no re collection of his past this make a mystery surroundng him. this is an enigma as the audience would have questions on a text or a feedback.

Action is a code in a narrative where it is action upon action. This means for example somebody is holding a gun and is aiming at his opponent the audience are in suspense and creates tension to the outcome as to whether or not the shooter will kill his enemy or in fact he will be wounded himself.

90 Minute synopsis (Emmanuel Olobio)

Sophie Lawson was a typical 17 year old girl who lived a normal life, with her normal family, in a normal house, she went to Havering College and everyday, would walk the normal route home until one day when it all changed as Sophie never travelled that way ever again.

It was a Friday afternoon and as usual Sophie walked home but this time she was not alone. As she walked down the street she noticed she was being followed. She started to briskly pick up the pace to loose her follower but the talk dark figure was soon behind her. She started to run towards the alley, as the menacing tall hooded man was sprinting in pursuit of Sophie as she reaches the end of the alleyway she trips over and turns to find the tall hooded man standing over her. He reaches into his jacket, at this point Sophie is frozen with fear. He pulls out a media textbook smiles and he tells her she dropped it down the road. Jerome leaves back down the alley as Sophie manages to get back on to her feet. As she breathes a sigh of relief, we are introduced to Betty a young women who emerges from the path. She approaches Sophie and asks her for a lighter. Sophie hesitantly hands over the lighter as she does this betty knocks her to the floor with one punch to the face.


Almost instantly a car emerges from the end of the road and pulls up to the alley a man jumps out of the passenger seat and drags a kicking and screaming Sophie into the backseat. The driver’s is visible in the window and hands a bunch of twenty pound notes to betty who is elated with the sight of the money. She then lights a cigarette and the car speeds off into the distance. In the car she is injected with a syringe full of heroine and driven to a house down Barnaby Street. The men tie Sophie up and drag her now unconscious body into the house; she is then put in one of the bedrooms and left there over night. She is reported missing by Sophie’s mum and dad, but the police are unable to locate were she is or what happened to her. The following day she was taken to a nearby flat and put into one of the rooms with various other young girls. Every hour or so one of the girls was taken out of the room and put into one of the bedrooms opposite. Sophie could hear the screams echoing across the flat as one of the girls were being violently raped. Whilst the others could only watch as they were being constantly drugged and beaten. Sophie was the only one willing to escape as the rest of the girls were so drugged they were barely able to keep conscious let alone plan an escape.


As two of the men left the flat Sophie managed to wriggle out of the shackles that bound her hands. She moved behind the door and fashioned a knife out of some broken shards of glass as one of the men walking in to inflict some more violent pain on the girls Sophie stabbed him in the neck with the shard of glass and franticly sprinted out of the front door narrowly missing a fist flying at her from one of the assailants chasing after her. She runs down the road and out of sight as a car seems to be circling the roads around her. She runs to a nearby police station and explains what has happened. As the police infiltrated the flat they found all of the women dead and the men no were to be seen. As Sophie laid in her bed that night she realised that if she had been there any longer she could have been dead……….

script- Peter Otuwehinmi

Script for Abduction

Group Responsibilities - Sam Lee

Sam
Mind Map
Audience Research
Analysing Two Sequences
Weekly Updates
Premilinary Task
Meeting Minutes
Genre Research
Textual analysis

Peter
Script
Location Notes
Cast Notes
Production Schedule
Filming Journal
Premilinary Task
Story Board
Score Notes
Textual Analysis


Emmanuel
Genre Research
Scenario (90 Min)
Scenario (2 min)
Treatment
Preliminary Task
2 Minute Outline
Production Logo
Textaul Analysis
Pictures of People in Production
Blog Questionnaire

textual Analysis - Peter Otuwehinmi

Taken is a film which was written by Luc Besson Mark Kamen, directed by Pierre Morel and released in 2008. This thriller is a movie with the sub genres of action crime and drama.
Our main character is a Decorated and highly-skilled CIA Special Activities Division officer Bryan Mills. In the film the director portrays to the audience that he has a teenage daughter who travels to paris and gets capered hence the title of the film taken. Our main protagonist uses his experience and skills from his work to locate his daughter; he does this through recording conversations with his daughter. The films action is based around his battle with the people who were involved in the kidnapping. Eventually he finds his daughter being prostituted to a pimp, the combat then continues as the kidnappers try to hide our protagonist’s daughter from him.

The film has an element of suspense as the director shows us the audience many clues and answers to questions that would have been asked within the film. This literally gives the audience an affect that a pantomime has. For example if the protagonist is walking in a wrong direction or walking into danger, the audience would literally be saying go the other way, or shaking their heads cause they know something that the protagonist doesn’t.

The Director portrays our protagonist as someone that the audience could relate to, as there are many sides to him. He has a daughter that is now lost, he is divorced from his daughters mother and a very lonely man. Our protagonist is also seen to be secluded form the outside world as he is often in his dark apartments looking at photos of his daughter. Moreover the audience also synthesizes with our protagonist, especially in the part of the film where he goes to his daughter’s party where he is not wanted. The rejection on the faces of those at the party makes the audience synthesize with him.

When it comes down to the action of the film our protagonist has very little weaknesses due to his past experience with his old profession, however this contrasts with his softer sides. The main weakness our protagonist has is how much he actually loves his daughter. Therefore the kidnappers of his daughter know how to hurt him, and they do this through his daughter, and mentally scar our protagonist. This means he is hurt a lot while trying to fight off the kidnappers.

An enigma was created around the character from the beginning of the film as he spoke to his daughter’s capturer he says, “I have a various set of skills that I have acquired from a long career”. These skills that our protagonist talks and boasts about are later revealed later on in the film when he uses his special forensic skills to locate his daughter, with this the director successfully portrays to the audience a man that is not that of normal human intelligence.

Another mystery that arises in the film would be his divorce to his wife. The audience is left wondering why they broke up as every time they came across each other she looks at him in a resentful way, This gives the audience the suspicion that he did something wrong to her. We then later on learn that he sacrificed his marriage for his government career, which then leads to him being able to rescue his daughter. But amongst all this is another mystery, why did our protagonist stop working for the government. This too is answered later on through the film when he states that the reason he left is because he desired a better relationship with his daughter and that he missed his daughter.

Kim is also another main character and her aesthetics is very important in the telling the audience about her. She at first seems to be a normal, innocent girl because she wears a lot of girly colors and natural makeup. We find out she is loving towards her dad but also secretive as she lies about where she is going. Younger views could easily identify with this character, a rebel girl who often lies about where she is going, in addition to a hard life with the separation of her parents. Her main weakness would be the fact that she is easily lead on, as we can see that she is lead on my a French man called peter who gives her an invitation to a fake party.

In the form of this event the audience is left wondering if the character of Kim will be okay, and what the plot is going to be. Clues from this question arise as the jacket of Kim is found; moreover clues from other prostitutes are also given. At the end as we know she was found eventually, answering the question that arises.

Throughout this film the degree of suspense has been lifted and decreased by the music. As in most thrillers the music is a massive tool in adding tension f=to the film and decreasing the tension from the film. One example of where the music is used to add tension is where brain kicked down each door and sees a dying prostitute, this leaves the audience on the edge of their seats wondering if he will kick down the door and see his daughter there. The audience feels as if he is about to find her but in fact he does not find her in any of the rooms and therefore the buildup ends anti-climatically. . It is common in thriller that there is a lot of buildup of tension which end anti-climatically until the final build up when something exciting happens; this is usually the aspect of the thriller genre that keeps the audience interested.
This of course leads to another enigma. Is Kim dead already? It also reveals to the audience that his friend who is supposedly meant to be helping him is indeed involved in his downfall. The use of dramatic irony creates a sense of danger which his doesn’t realize until he discovers that Jean-Claude, head of security for France, is betraying him. Information regarding the whole film is made during the experiences on Brian. This is done through his struggle to get back him daughter from the kidnappers that took her. We know at the end that his main priority which would be to amend his relationship with his family is amended when Lenny’s new husband says that Brian is always welcome to anything he needs.
In conclusion I do feel that the film fit perfectly into the genre of a thriller, but I do feel the film can be long winded at times but it does create the suspense, tension and action of a thriller.

Brainstorm - Sam Lee

Textual Analysis - Bourne Ultimatum (Emmanuel Olobio)

Bourne ultimatum is the third in a trilogy of the ‘Bourne’ series of films. It is based on the novel by Robert Ludlum and directed by Paul Greengrass, released in 2007. The film is a thriller and consists of sub genres which include spy, conspiracy, crime and action thrillers. The main focus is on Jason Bourne a former highly skilled and deadly American secret agent who suffered from amnesia. As he battles to uncover his past and why this has happened to him he is also on the run from the CIA for murders he did not commit. As the title suggests the film ultimatum is looking for the final answer to Jason Bourne’s predicament. The film hones in on the murder of a journalist in London who has the answers to Jason Bourne’s past and mysterious amnesia.

The director has allowed the audience to know what has happened to him through various flashbacks and also many hidden clues as to the amnesiac Jason Bournes past. He was a member of a CIA decommissioned assassin squad and is accused of killing someone he was not supposed to kill. Bourne now fights in the reactionary mode to save his own life while explosions of memory pieces invade his attitude as well as abilities. Not all the pieces of memory that return are pleasant as he deals with the tragedies of his past. The audience is shown the corruption which shows how the director wants the audience to sympathise with the main character as he battles to remember his past and clear his name but there are many scenes were the audience is put in a state of unknown as to what will happen next much like the main character Jason the audience is entwined in his situation.

The director takes the audience on a journey across continents from the sizzling beaches of India to the snow laden streets of Moscow the audience can relate to him as Jason comes across as an outcast from society although his talents as an agent make it an action packed thriller from start to finish. There Is an enigma surrounding his character as he is appeared to be an unstoppable force in any situation that arises his only weakness appears to be himself as the memories of his past seem to trouble him.

The directors inclusion of the character Nicky Parsins who is a CIA agent is to show that there is some kind of light in the darkening tunnel of corruption that is infecting the CIA as she helps Bourne in confronting a corrupt and greedy CIA executive. Along with Nicky Parsins Pamela Landy is another CIA agent who is trying track down Bourne but although she appears to be on the other side as the thriller progresses it is clear she wants to find the truth about Bourne and uncover the secrecies of treadstone.

Like many other thrillers the Bourne Ultimatum follows many of the standard codes and conventions you would expect. It delivers action, suspense, tension and lightning fast pace, this Is partly due to the cutting. Which is very fast which gives it a dizzy affect, also giving it an illusion of uncertainty. This not the pace of the editing but the quality of it. Cuts here seem rough because they interrupt actions and camera movements. Pans, zooms, and movements of the actors especially Bourne are infrequently allowed to come to rest before the shot changes. This creates a strong sense of jerkiness and visual imbalance.

Throughout the film the level of suspense, tension and action can change almost instantly through music. For instance in the opening scene the music is louder and creates more anxiety for the audience and the atmosphere is being built up and its tense. We watch as he fixes himself, and makes himself better. This shows us he is intelligent and he is well trained, it also is the theme song so it is recognised by the audience from the previous films. Then this keeps the audience aware and intrigued. It keeps the audience on the edge of their seat and curious as to what is going to happen next.

Genre research (Emmanuel Olobio)

Our 2 minute video is based around the genre of thriller.
Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful heroes who must thwart the plans of more-powerful and better-equipped villains (antagonist) Thrillers can often overlap with mystery stories, but are distinguished by the structure of their plots. Thrillers have been increasingly influenced by horror or psychological-horror and/or a monstrous element has become common to increase tension and suspense. A thriller can contain various sub genres including action, crime, spy and disaster thrillers. Notable thrillers such as Phone Booth and the Bourne Identity which was adapted into a movie starring Matt Damon which used many of the thriller conventions of the plot. Though its sequels, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, depart significantly from Robert Ludlum's storyline, the conspiracy-thriller genre is still well-preserved whilst still containing fast passed action.

2 Minute Outline Of Abduction (Emmanuel Olobio)

It was a Friday afternoon and as usual a called Sophie (aged 17) walked her usual route home but this time she was not alone. As she walked down the street she noticed she was being followed. She started to briskly pick up the pace to loose her follower but the talk dark figure was soon behind her. She started to run towards the alley, as the menacing tall hooded man was sprinting in pursuit of Sophie as she reaches the end of the alleyway she trips over and turns to find the tall hooded man standing over her. He reaches into his jacket, at this point Sophie is frozen with fear. He pulls out a media textbook smiles and he tells her she dropped it down the road. Jerome leaves back down the alley as Sophie manages to get back on to her feet.

As she breathes a sigh of relief, we are introduced to Betty a young women who emerges from the path. She approaches Sophie and asks her for a lighter. Sophie hesitantly hands over the lighter as she does this; Betty knocks her to the floor with a punch to the face. Almost instantly a car emerges from the end of the road and pulls up to the alley a man jumps out of the passenger seat and drags a kicking and screaming Sophie into the backseat. The driver’s is visible in the window and hands a bunch of twenty pound notes to Betty who is elated with the sight of the money. She then lights a cigarette and the car speeds off into the distance.

textual analysis - Emmanuel Olobio

Phone Booth is a thriller directed by Joel Schumacher and written by Larry Cohen. It follows the sub genres of mystery and psychological thriller. There are two main characters within the first 40 minutes that i have analyse and indicate a clear protagonist and antagonist. We are introduced to the main character 'Stu' a New York publicist who is confident, intelligent and arrogant. These things are established in the opening minutes of the film. The plot revolves around a man in a phone booth who is on the phone to the intimidator who has him in his sniper rifle scope in one of the apartments above although this is not known to passers by. The cocky obnoxious protagonist draws sympathy from the audience as he is framed for killing a pimp who co-indecently wanted to use the phone booth. The protagonist has been committing adultery against his wife Pam and this seems to be why if any, reason he is held hostage in the booth.

As the police are called, it appears to them that he killed the pimp although as he is being held hostage he is unable to leave the booth. The enigma around the caller begins to increase as we do not know any information about him, or why he is holding him hostage. This shows how the film has followed the main convention of a psychological thriller. Stu confesses his bad sins to the crowd, telling his unpaid assistant, Adam, who looks up to Stu, not to become a publicist and admitting his 2,000 dollar watch is a fake, like himself.

The short shots adds to the high suspense of this psychological action thriller , and it successfully keeps the audience at the edge of their seats for the majority of the time. Also the anticipation of the protagonist getting caught is even more intriguing as more and more you sympathise with the main character 'Stu'.

Like most thrillers there are many close up shots on the main character this is to convey there emotions. The twist at the end shows that like many thrillers this has changed antagonist as the shooter gets away.