CCR Question 1

The thriller-action conventions feature a hero stuck in a do-or-die situation. We do the opposite in our movie, however, by making the getaway the narrative rather than the kidnapping itself. Our hero is not merely a victim but is instead someone who's taking steps to get out of a precarious situation. This is all in the thriller genre where dim, claustrophobic places help create the heightened sense of danger. The gloom of the garage that the hero is hiding in enhances the tight-lipped claustrophobic tension, drawing attention to the physical and psychic claustrophobia the subject faces when attempting to flee.

Escape is central to the art of creating tension in thrillers-action. We use close-ups of the face of the main character while waking up disoriented, in order for the spectator to identify with his confusion and fear. His vulnerability and need for urgency are essential in generating the suspense. Instead of focusing on the villainous acts of the bad person, we keep the audience guessing over whether the hero escapes or not, turning the traditional thriller approach around. This makes the actual escape the focus of conflict, replete with tension both physical and emotional.

The tension is heightened since the audience does not know who the bad guy is or why he was abducted. This mystery mirrors the confusion that the hero has, heightening the tension as he tries to escape. We do not tell the audience anything about his situation, which heightens their tension as they see him try to escape.

Finally, the escape theme touches on a universal fear: to be trapped and powerless. Our hero is an ordinary man who finds himself in an extraordinary situation, and the audience can sympathize with his situation. The danger of being held against one's will is something with which most people can identify, and the hero's fight for freedom becomes all the more compelling. By focusing our attention on the escape, we intend to place the audience squarely in the hero's shoes, building tension and drawing them in from the very start.

Conventions of thrillers. Home. (n.d.). https://xeroxproductions.weebly.com/conventions-of-thrillers.html 

Guild, S. G. (2023, February 1). Thriller genre: The blending of action, crime, and Horror stories. https://storygrid.com/thriller-genre/ 

Editing 2

 Editing has been a whole new experience, and it's actually a lot more intricate than I had expected. When we were filming, everything was more exciting — the setting up of shots, the switching of angles, and making sure that the lighting added to the suspense of the kidnapping scene. Now that we're editing, however, it's all about precision. Every cut, every transition, every effect has to have a reason behind it, and it's trial and error, a lot. One thing we’ve really had to focus on is the pacing. Since it’s a thriller-action opening, the timing of each scene matters so much. If a shot lingers too long, it loses tension, but if it’s too quick, the audience might miss an important detail. We’ve been carefully going over the clips, figuring out how to create that perfect balance so the suspense keeps building without feeling rushed.

A further challenge has been matching up the sound with the visuals. It's not just a matter of slapping on some spooky music — we need to bring out the small sounds, like the drag of the chair across the floor or the muffled struggling noise as the character attempts to free himself. These diegetic sounds help to keep the scene in the real world, and make the tension feel more visceral.

We’re also experimenting with silence. Sometimes, no sound at all can be even more effective — like right before the character escapes, keeping everything still and quiet to build suspense before the action picks up again. It’s a lot of work layering these sounds and making sure they sync perfectly with the scenes, but it’s starting to come together.

While editing can be frustrating at times and tedious, I'm beginning to see how important it is in creating the right mood and rhythm of our film. All of the little choices — the length of a shot, where a sound comes in — add up to create the opening to be as tense and thrilling as we require.

Editing

Hello to my wonderful blog!  

Since my last post, I’ve finally started editing — and let me just say, it’s been a ride. Spoiler alert: I’m not a fan of editing so far. It feels like such a slow process, and honestly, I’ve always enjoyed recording way more. There's something about having that ideal shot — when the light, angle, and movement all combine — that is so satisfying. You just feel in the moment that you've got something wonderful.  When I was photographing with my partner on the kidnapping scene, we covered up on photos and shot two versions of each photo.

We did not want to take a chance on anything seeming off later while editing, so we made sure to get lots of different angles and takes to work with. Whether it was the close-up of the character who was tied up waking up disoriented or the escape scene by the front door, we filmed everything at least twice just in case. Now, on to the editing. I'm using Premiere Pro this time around, a completely different experience from iMovie. It is much more advanced, and a little daunting, but I've been consuming lots of tutorials so that I can learn how to use it. It's a lot to take in, but I know it's worth it to have the end product turn out as suspenseful and intense as we want. While editing is not necessarily my strongest area, I know it's what will tie the entire story together, so I'm pushing through. Can't wait to see how the kidnapping scene starts to fall into place once we get everything in one piece!

Post-Production 1

 We worked last week on recording, so this week my partner and I began editing to put in those finishing touches that really make the piece come alive.

At the top of our list was lighting, which contributes to mood so greatly—the suspense film we're producing, especially. We adjusted the lighting so it's darker and more foreboding, intensifying the bewilderment and terror of the character. This is the picture of the scene before editing. See how the lighting is warm, but we would like it to be tense and mysterious rather than that. What we are trying to do is have a colder, darker atmosphere that will create a more suspenseful mood.

Third Production Post

 Hello Cambridge people!

Since the film is all about the escape of the character from kidnapping, sound is going to play a huge part in establishing tension and making it happen. We’re planning to use a mix of sounds to match the intensity of the moment—like heavy breathing, the creaking of the chair as the character struggles to break free, and the sound of footsteps echoing as they run through the garage and out the door. Silence will also be of equal importance. There are moments when we have to cut out all the unnecessary sounds in order to create a creepy atmosphere, so the audience feels the same fear and uncertainty as the character. After the escape, we're thinking of adding rapid, staccato music to maximize the suspense.

We will also incorporate Foley sounds to make it more realistic, such as the rope pulling tighter, the door squeaking open, and even the hum of faraway streetlights. All these little things will draw the audience into the scene and make them feel the threat and urgency of the getaway. Can't wait to see how it all looks!

Second Production Post

Today, Santiago was able to record almost everything for the opening, though we still plan to film the last scene and a few extra shots just in case the ones from today don’t turn out right or end up being too short. 

This is the makeup Santiago did for the shots that showed his face.

This is the first shot of the opening, where the character wakes up, confused and scared, realizing he's tied to a chair in an unfamiliar place.

One of the first problems Santiago faced while recording was figuring out what to use to tie his hands and feet to the chair, but luckily, he found some short ropes that worked. 

First Production Post

 Hello Cambridge folks!

Today didn't exactly go according to plan because I wasn't able to record like I had hoped—some personal issues arose, and I also discovered I don't have a rope for the first scene, which threw me off a little bit. Nonetheless, I snapped some photos to give you a glimpse of what we're dealing with for the opening!

We’re starting in my garage, where the kidnapped character will wake up tied to a chair, confused and scared. The garage is going to be dark, with just this one creepy, dim light that’s already there—it adds to the whole eerie vibe. Since there’s a window in the garage, I’m waiting until night to film so there’s no sunlight messing with the atmosphere.

As soon as he makes his escape, the actor is going to make a wild run out of my front door. I'm still undecided whether to leave on the porch light for extra creepiness (with some tweaking) or turn it off and rely on the soft glow reflected from the street lights. I'll know when I see how it looks on film.

Although today didn't turn out the way I had hoped, I'm pleased that I did get a better sense of the environment. I hope I can get the props sorted and get back on schedule soon!