Characters and costume

These are the sketches of costume and the ideas for the characters I want to use within the opening to my thriller film.

Two Maffia Henchmen of Monika Queiro

The idea of the Two Henchmen is to base them around the typical Gangster duo such as Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction.

The Maffia men used in our sequence are to wear suits to follow this style as well as dark sunglasses so we never see there true identities as characters. There props will include cigarettes, guns and any type of weapon such as a baseball bat to use when atacking there victim.

The two maffia men are hired by Monika Quiero and are nameless to also help with the idea of there lack of identity.

Here is a rough drawing of the idea I had in mind for the costume for the characters.

Ali's Henchman (nameless)

He's seen as the loser "junkie". with his scruffy costume and appearance. This also helps give the audience the impression that he's been held hostage for quite a while.
He's one of the lesser Henchmen of Alias he's just a drugs carrier, shwoing that Monika is prepared to kill everyone of Ali's staff before she gets her ultimate revenge on him.

He's similar to most "losers" of a thriller film such as Robert De Niro in Jacke Brown playing Louis Gara, who sits at home all day smoking crack with Melanie the other loser junkie.

Monika Quiero

Monika is the Femme-fatale of this thriller as well as the main character.

She's out to get revenge on Ali by slowly killing his henchmen one by one as we see the opening of the thriller.

She's seen in this sketch wearing a pencil skirt to show her seriousness as well as her sex appeal as she uses sex and maniupulation tradtional to that of her a femme fatale to get her own way.

Her red heels and red lips show her dominance as a female as well as her danger as a character.

She's also going to be seen smokin a cigarette throughout the opening to show her bad side as well as being significant action of a femme fatale of a thriller.

Her actions are similar to those of Helen-Bonham Carter as she's seen always smoking and in Black as she's being introduced as a character. Also gives her that added sense of mystery about her.She's also based on other femme fatales such as Uma Therman in Kill Bill and Pam Gier in Jackie Brown as they each where independent females using there own initiative to gain there revenge.

Ideas for Music

For the opening of this thriller film there needs to be a piece of music that will create good tension as well as work with the structure of the scene.

The music that we have chosen is Portishead Wandering Star.
Portishead are a band who formed in Bristol in 1991, this song is taken of the album Dummy which included the single "Glory box", which has been used in many television dramas and films such as Skins as well the The Craft and Stealing beauty.

I couldn't find a video for this song however I found This video on You tube where the song can be heard. We are wanting to extend the opening to be able to use at the beginning of the shot to give the feeling of someones heart beating.

Due to copyright reasons we're hoping this song can be used as it was released over 10 years ago but this will need to be looked into before we can start



We weren't able to use this soundtrack in our thriller due to the copyright being extended to 50 years. Therefore we are changing it to Strauss' 4 last Songs. This will be played when our femme fatale is about to have our victim beaten up.

Ideas for props

The props used within this film need to be relevant to that of a thriller film therefore will be ironic to each character.

Cigarettes are going to be smoked by each character to show there importance. Cigarettes are very important in a thriller film and are often being used by an evil character or someone showing importance such as Helen Boham Carter in fight club or the maffia men of Reservoir Dogs

The gun is another generic signifier of a thriller film and will be used by the two henchmen to kill the drug carrier of Ali.

Guns are always being used as they show importance to a character and are typical of any gangster/maffia man to be carrying around.

Guns also have a way of showing enpowerment of a character and are used to help create tension and fear.

Red Lipstick will be worn by Monika Quiero to show her importance as dominant femme fatale of our thriller. It will also show her as an evil character typical to a thriller such as Uma Therman in Pulp Fiction.

Cross Necklace will be worn by a either Monika or the man held hostage to show the religious irony of the mise-en-scene. Religion often plays a large role in thrillers such as Macha in Revolver is always seen with a cross around his neck even though he's this sinful character.

Industrial Storage Crates these are going to be where the drug carrier of Ali is going to be held hostage and is a vital aspect of our thriller as they will be highlighting the violence and harsh reality of this killing.

Thriller Film summary of plot

These are to go with my storyboards below to show the camera angles and sound within each shot.

Shot 1:
Lighting: Noir, ambient coming from slit from outside
Shot: Close up
Sound: Non-diagetic: Portishead wandering star Diagetic: His breathing to let audience know there's someone in there.


Shot 2:
Lighting; Ambient from outside
Shot: Extreme close up of heels
Sound: Non-diagetic: opening of Potrishead Wandering Star to go with her footsteps creating a pulse


Shot 3:
Lighting: Noir, Ambient through gap from outside as shadow blocks the original light so we know there is someone outside
Shot: Extra long shot, his perspective in the crate
Sound: Diagetic; his breathing increases and sounds of the woman outside opening the crate.


Shot 4:
Lighting: Ambient
Shot; Extreme close up of her mouth smoking
Sound: Diagetic, emphasis on the sounds of her smoking


Shot 5:
Lighting: Noir, Ambient as the light shows onto his face
Shot: close up of his face
Sound: Diagetic of his mumblings as we see his panic increase


Shot 6:
Lighting: Ambient from outside as the sun shines on her highlighting her as a main character.
Shot: Long shot, first time shown in full profile.
Sound: Diagetic as she says the only piece of dialogue, which needs to be ironic to a thriller film.


Shot 7:
Lighting: Ambient
Shot: Longshot showing two maffia men appearing beside her
Sound: Non- Diagtic music begins as before to set up the pulse and fear.


Shot 8:
Lighting: Ambient shot from outside
Shot: Medium Close up, Femme fatale looking away.
Sound: Non-diagetic sounds of the man being beaten up Diagetic of Portishead Wandering Star.


Shot 9:
Lighting: Ambient
Shot: Medium shot her returning with an object found in the crate.
Sound: Non- diagetic: sound of the man groaning on the ground and the men still beating him Diagetic: Portishead wandering star.


Shot10:
Lighting: Ambient
Shot: Medium Close up of her standing over the body
Sound: Non-diagetic: her sighing and walking away, diagetic: Portishead Wandering star


Shot 11:
Lighting; Ambient
Shot: Longshot looking in on her as she gets into the car
Sound: Non-diagetic: sounds of her walking and opening the car door. diagetic: Portishead Wandering star


Shot 12:
Lighting: Ambient
Shot: Close up of back of her head as we see whats going on in the mirror of the action behind her.
Sound: Non-diagetic: car engine diagetic: Portishead Wandering star

Thriller Film Storyboards

Plot summary

Our plot see's a 28 year old woman known as Monika Quiero brought up in Turkey, brought up in Turkey by her Mum and Dad Penelope and Norman Quiero. As a child Monika's father was known well in the drug buisness working alongside Mr Suri who had a son Monkias age called Ali.
One day Monkia comes home to find out that her father Norman has been mysteriously killed and has always suspected it was the work of Mr Suri but no proof has ever been found.
In a panic state Penelope flees with Monkia to England to start a safe life taking a large sum of Mr Suri's money with her to help her start a new life in safety however Penelope is also one to be suspicious about in Normans murder.

18 years have passed and we now see Mr Suri dead and Ali carrying on the family buisness in Turkey, however with business going badly decides to take a visit to England to visit the Quieros to get some of the money Penelope had stolen from his father to help tie him over and take revenge, therefore with his hench men and gangster appeal begins his quest to England.

Monika also has not forgotten about Ali and has been tracking him for many years in revenge for her father and has slowlt been killing of his henchmen in England awaiting for his return so she can find out who exactly killed her father, she does this using her manipulation and sex appeal making her the femme fatal of this thriller.
This is where we see her with one of Ali's more weaker men in the opening of this thriller...

Audience theory

I asked a few of my friends to find out what people generally like in films...

Rachael
What films do you watch?
I love any chick flick which is easily watched. I also like comedy, anything by Quentin Tarantino and thrillers.

How often do you watch films?
I rarely have time to watch films as I usually have too much homework or am out but I try to watch a film a week.

Do you go to the cinema/ watch DVD’s/ rent etc.
I usually go to the cinema once a week as I can go cheaply on Tuesdays or Wednesdays as I am on Orange. I also enjoy buying films as they are also so cheaply available. I rarely rent films as a lot of the time its very expensive and cheaper to just buy the film.

What are the social factors?
I find films handy when I don’t know someone very well and I can just watch or film or if when I have a friend round it’s something to do.

Danielle
What films do you watch?
I love watching comedies as they make me laugh and are also fun to watch.

How often do you watch films?
I like to watch a film a week

Do you go to the cinema/ watch DVD’s/ rent etc.
I mainly watch DVD’s at home either on my own or friends but I try to go out to the cinema as often as I can as it’s a better experience.

What are the social factors?
They provide a good topic of conversation and are great to watch with friends.

Molly
What films do you watch?
I like to watch thrillers, any film with Jake Gyllenhaal, comedies and chick flicks

How often do you watch films?
I watch films twice a week

Do you go to the cinema/ watch DVD’s/ rent etc.
I like to go to the cinema but my families subscribed to Love film so i watch most of my films through that.

What are the social factors?
Whenever I have sleepovers with my friends we usually watch films as they are really fun especially a really scary horror film or thriller.

Jane
What films do you watch?
I love any film but mainly Sci-fi or thriller. I also enjoy independent films

How often do you watch films?
I watch a film everyday.

Do you go to the cinema/ watch DVD’s/ rent etc.
I like to go to the cinema as often as I can as well as watch and buy DVD’s. I’m also subscribed to Love film so have a lot of access to films.

What are the social factors?
I like to see films with friends at the cinema as it’s more enjoyable .