Opening Scene Narration - Miss Miller

When making the individual storyboards, i came up with the final ideas that i wanted to use within it by picturing and imagining exactly what i wanted and how i wanted it to happen. When visualizing it, it is a lot easier to think about what you want rather than just jotting it down on paper. Myself and my partner, Krista, came up with our final ideas within the group storyboard by combining hers as well as mine so that we felt as though we were a team and that most of our ideas were included. This made us happy as there wasn't anyone whose ideas were used more.

Our opening thriller sequence will begin with a combination of both canted angles and POV shots to show the character slowly waking up from his unconscious state. The first camera technique we will be using is the POV shot to show the hit man being held hostage, as well as looking around to attempt to understand where he is. The second camera angle we will be using is the canted angle to highlight the confusion of the character. The angle being canted shows them that he is not stable, much like the camera itself. Iconography within this scene is masking tape and rope tying hit man down. The use of this being shown from the canted angle will again show that he is confused, but it will also show the confusion of the character as he is tied up. This will be shown at the beginning of the sequence so that many questions are asked straight from the beginning. Within this frame, non digetic sound will be used to play the sinister music in the scene. The use of sinister music within this frame connotes that something bad is going to happen. It is almost like a warning. We will aim to use flashes as our editing style, the use of the flashing will be used when the opening credits come upon the screen. The flashing allows tension and excitement to build up. The lighting that we are using within our first frame as well as in most of the other frames is low key lighting. 

In the next frame, high angle shots will be used to show the hostage getting up and trying to adjust to his surroundings. Of course, the audience will see him untie himself first, as well as take the masking tape off of his mouth. The flashes will be present within this frame as it shows the tension and excitement building up.Within this frame, the use of sinister music will be used again to show the hostage attempting to get up.Iconography within this part remains the same because the frame hasn't changed, so no new characters have been introduced yet. Again, the lighting remains the same, low key lighting.

In the third frame, the audience will be shown the face of the hostage using close ups. The facial expression of the character will be fear as well as frustration and confusion because he is unaware of where he is. Within this frame, there is no iconography because the hostage has broken free for the masking tape as well as the rope as his frustrations allow him to break free. Again, the flashes will be present and these will be used for dramatic effect and the tension is built up as the flashes make it obvious that something is going to happen and it is leading up to it. The sound remains the same.

In the fourth frame, POV will be used from the hostage's perspective to show the antagonist walking in and address his hostage clutching an envelope comes up to the hostage and looks straight into his eyes menacingly before giving an evil laugh. Iconography is seen within this scene when the antagonist walks into the room, the mask that he wears is iconography as it is an object that when seen, will be focused on. Another element within this category is the envelope containing the money, photos and an address note. Within this frame, the flashing will still be present to continue the element of tension. In the fifth frame, the audience witness the antagonist telling his accomplice what exactly he needs to do for him and what his reward will be and this will be shown using a two shot. Within this frame, no new iconography is introduced. Again, non digetic sound also takes a main role within this scene because the use of sinister music will be present, it creates certain emotions for the viewers. Within the editing category, we have decided we would like to use a straight cut to join two scenes together to maintain continuity.

In the next frame, the audience see the man being paid and shown photographs of his victim as he agrees without hesitation to kill the antagonists wife. This will be shown with an over the shoulder shot. The iconography within this frame changes, the audience will now see an envelope containing money and photographs. The sound used within this piece is silence to create tension. As for editing, this part will be shot reverse shot, so it will be shown as a conversation is going on. The seventh frame contains many elements, the first of which is mid shot to show body language. The iconography within this frame is exactly the same, except for the fact that the audience can now see what is inside the envelope. For example, they will see an envelope containing money and photographs, house keys on key chain, knife, address written on note. In this part, the audience are introduced to the sound of the antagonist talking.

The next frame within my piece will be using shallow focus. Shallow focus is when you can only see the main subject of the shot, and the rest is blurry. This will be used to show the antagonist giving weapons the hit man should use to carry out his evil deed as well as the house keys in order to let himself into the home him and his wife share The sound that will be played is sinister music, as previously stated this allows tension to be built up. The use of the jump cut will be used when we edit because it allows one scene to go to another.

In the 9th frame, a long shot will be used to portray the hit man leaving the unknown location looking around to gather his bearings unsure of who and where he is. Again, sinister music will be played in the background to fear the audience. 

Within the 10th frame, mid shot will be used to focus upon the hitman as he decides to call a taxi that will take him to the murder location. Screaming will be played in the background.

In the next frame, the camera shot we will be using is close up. A close up is when the face of the character is zoomed in, often to see the emotion/expression that they are making. The iconography within this frame does change, it will now be the phone, this will be used to show the hitman calling a taxi which then takes him to the house. The lighting within this scene is high key lighting to portray a realistic setting. The sounds the audience will hear is silence, this creates and tension. The speech of the character will scare the audience as it will sound deep and sinister. 

In the 12th frame, POV will be used to show the hitman walking towards the house of the wife and antagonist's wife. The iconography changes again, the keys that the antagonist gave the hitman will now be shown as he is holding them in his hand, preparing to open the door. Sinister music will be played in the background. 

Within the next frame, POV will be used again to show the hitman entering the house of the antagonist and his wife. The iconography is again the keys as the hitman opens the door to the house. The sinister music will be building up in the background, much like the tension.

In the fourteenth frame, the audience will show the hitman sneak up to the wife who is cleaning the dishes in the house. This will be shown with an over the shoulder shot. 

In the 15th frame, long shot will be showing the whole seen that is going on as the hitman is behind woman and raises his knife behind her.. The iconography changes again, it will be a knife.

In the next frame, over the shoulder will be used to show the wife turning around and screaming as she drops the plate. Over the shoulder shows the viewers seeing the whole situation without the hitman knowing. This keeps it a secret from the hitman, almost like the antagonist and hitman hiding the killing from everyone. The iconography within this scene is the knife and plate, the use of both of these objects give the audience the elements of shock and suspense as they are waiting for the bad thing to happen. This frame will be a reaction shot because the viewers will see the expression of the wife as she turns around. The sounds that the audience will hear are the smashing of plates.

In the 17th frame, the zoom in shot will be used to show the hitman holding the knife in the air and grabbing the woman as he prepares to stab her. The iconography in this frame is the knife and this will be shown which will alarm the audience. Timings of shots will be used. Within the next frame, the zoom out shot will be used when the hitman stabs the woman multiple times. The screaming will be used as the sound that the audience hear, this will make them fearful as they cannot see what is happening to the woman but can connote that the hitman is killing her. In the next frame, shallow focus will be used to show the screaming stopping and the dead body being shown on the screen. The use of shallow focus will allow the audience to only be shown the body so that they can understand what has happened. The kuleshov effect will be used to show this. The 20th frame will show the hitman calling the antagonist to tell him that the deed has been done. This will be shown with a mid shot so that the audience can see the whole scene. The iconography within this frame is the phone, which is of course used to call the antagonist. The next frame will use over the shoulder shots to show the antagonist opening the door as he enters the home. The only iconography used within this frame are the keys of the antagonist, the music played will be closing music, this will connote to the audience that it is nearly the end. The editing that will be added will be a montage so the audience can see various images displayed upon the screen. The 22nd frame will show the hitman sitting on the stairs of the antagonists home as he is rethinking his actions. High angle will be used to show this. No iconography is used within this frame. The next frame will show a the hitman and the antagonist shaking hands as the hitman leaves. This will be shown with a two shot. The two shot will be used so that the audience can see the body language of both characters. Closing music will be heard again to show the audience that the sequence is coming to an end. The last frame will use a zoom in shot to show the face of the antagonist as he stands above the body of his dead wife and smiles. No iconography is used within this frame and the lighting is again low key. The editing we have decided to use within the last part is a fade out, this will be used to show the audience that the film has ended.

Explaining the opening scene narration has helped finalize my group's idea because we were able to agree with what would work best when filming the opening sequence. We were able to visualize as well as discuss our ideas so that most of our ideas were included within the piece. It has helped me understand that i need to use the group storyboards as well as this opening scene narration when filming so that i am able to create the perfect thriller sequence and so that no time is wasted trying to remember what needed to happen in each scene.