This is our video which we planned, filmed, directed and edited all together.
These are our storyboard which i hand drew below.
Evaluation
Our video was planned well and made well. We planned out the shots and then drew up a story board, then as we started to film we took pictures as we went around.Our video was a simple idea, we used different shots, making sure they all fitted well. We had more shots than in the video above but they didn't go well as it made the video to jerky and confusing, but also it was harder to get them to go with the other shots well so that the film didn't have any major jump cuts. Overall i think it was a good video as it was simple and easy to follow. To improve it i would have maybe left out most of the conversation and put music on it instead, and also i would have used a better location that was easier to get to from the first location as the walking was too long.
This is a shot of Ronnie and Laura at one of the locations
from the start of the film. It is a long shot into a pan.
This is a picture of
the next shot in the film. Its a long pan and tracking shot.
This shot is of James filming one of the shots
in our film its a long shot to mid shot and pan.
This shot is also of James filming Ronnie and Laura as they walk to the next location.
This shot is a two shot of Laura and Ronnie at the last location.
These are just basic ideas for our thriller, we arent going to use these as a running scene through a forest isnt different so we thought of other ideas.
The
protagonist/s deals with death (their own or someone else's)
Main
characters –
Jean Reno –
Leon
Gary Oldman
Natalie
Portman – Mathilda
He doesn’t have a death but he has someone who has a hold over him so he
is forced to kill for money.
The main
storyline for the protagonist is usually some sort of quest
He is a ‘cleaner’, he basically a trained killer, he has this job as a
man called ‘Tony’ has his money and only pays him when he does a job.
The main
plotline focuses on a mystery that must be solved
The plot of this story isLeone
"Léon" Montana (Jean Reno) is a hitman (or "cleaner", as he
refers to himself) living a solitary life in New York City's Little Italy. His
work comes from a mafioso named Tony (Danny Aiello), who operates from the
"Supreme Macaroni Company" restaurant. Léon spends his idle time
engaging in calisthenics, nurturing a houseplant that early on he describes as
his "best friend", and (in one scene) watching old Gene Kelly
musicals.One day, Léon sees Mathilda Lando (Natalie Portman), a
twelve-year-old girl who is smoking a cigarette and sporting a black eye.
Mathilda lives with her dysfunctional family in an apartment down the hall. Mathilda's father (Michael Badalucco) attracts
the ire of corrupt DEA agents, who have been paying him to stash cocaine in his
apartment. After they discover some of the drugs missing, DEA agents storm the
building, led by sharply dressed drug addict Norman Stansfield (Gary Oldman).
During the raid, Stansfield quickly becomes unhinged and murders Mathilda's
entire family one by one, except for Mathilda, who was missing only because she
was out shopping. Mathilda returns from her shopping trip as the group clean up
the carnage, and realizes what happened just in time to continue down the hall,
where a reluctant Léon gives her shelter.
The film's
narrative construction is dominated by the protagonist's point of view
Most of this film is in the point of view of Leon as he is the main
character but it is also in Mathilda’s point of view as well. It is seen in the
point of view of these characters as it effectively shows us how they see other
people and the action but also shows the relationship between the two
characters and how the interact with each other but it also shows us the
contrast between the two lives and how they are brought together.
All action
and characters must be credibly realistic/natural in their representation on
screen
Natalie plays the little girl who has a very realistic plot of some families
that are real, abusive, drug dealers etc…
Leon isn’t as natural when he is being a killer as not many people go
around and kill people but when he is going about on his normal life it is more
realistic.
The two major
themes that underpin the Thriller are the desire for justice and the morality
of individuals
Leon has a religious picture in his flat; it shows that he thinks that he
is doing it for god. This film plays on the fantasies of what we would do if we
took the law into our own hands. The desire for justice in this film at the
start is mainly bad guys trying to scare someone who has done them wrong, it isn’t
justice in a sense as we think but as bad guys think.
One small
but significant aspect of a great thriller is the presence of innocence in what
is seen as an essentially corrupt world [Binary opposition]
In this the innocence is the girl (Natalie)
as her family is murder she has no one left. The way her family treats her, she
has bruises and bloody noses and is beaten you know that she is just an
innocent. She has no role model and has no one but her little brother. She is
happy that she can help Leon out as she watches him and knows that she is
useful for something.
Leon perfectly fits the conventions
of a thriller. It does not try to challenge the conventions.
Explain how far you agree with this
statement.
It doesn’t try to challenge them as it doesn’t need
to; if it did the film wouldn’t meet very good standards and would be
unsuccessful. It has the right conventions as it uses the right music; it sets
the mood and gives the film an overall feel which all thrillers have. It uses
camera shots to create mystery, drama etc… which is needed in all thrillers as
it sets the scene. It also uses lighting to set the mood, it has all the mise –en
–scene that all typical thrillers have.
Leon is a 1994 English-language French thriller film written and directed by Luc Besson. It stars Jean Reno as the titular mob hitman; Gary Oldman as corrupt DEA agent Norman Stansfield; a young Natalie Portman, in her feature film debut, as Mathilda, a 12-year-old girl who is taken in by the hitman after her family is murdered; and Danny Aiello as Tony, the mobster who gives the hitman his assignments.
Opening scene – music is strange with
windpipes, tracking shot= travelling point of view shot, feels like moving.
Urban area not rich may show it will be about gangs etc… music changes and
close up of a hand and then someone lighting a match, close ups of mouths,
hands, eyes etc… this shows mystery. Already going to be a quest as the
character shows another a photo of a guy who has done them wrong. Extreme close
up is intimidating, uncomfortable, unusual, nervous want to know who they are
and where they are.
Music is low with a beat to show something
is going to happen. Man with a gun to his face shows us that this film may be
about trained killers etc… the gun is threatening, he is serious but you can’t
see him, want to know what he looks like, Leon’s point of view. Show Leon is a
cold blooded killer; the guy had run out of usefulness, hit man.
The man is panicking and knows what is
going to happen, he is talking fast and getting changed fast. When he says some
is coming up his guys stay sat until he says someone serious as if they know it
is a dangerous man. So many men guarding the fat man, shows he is powerful and
rich but also shows how dangerous this other guy is.
The close up of the numbers builds tension.
The body Leon has shot propped up in the elevator is humours, teasing the guy,
but also is a distraction to make all the guys so busy that the fat man is left
unprotected. Shows Leon is clever, humours and witty. Extreme long shot looking
up of the man bending over the edge and then Leon pops up and pulls him by the
tie, it shocks you as him coming from underneath is strange. The camera going
out means that they can’t know where he is now, tension builds. Leon is killing
the guys of one by one. Death at the start is a typical convention but it is unconventional
as you can’t relate to Leon.
Mise en scene – they have big guns which
shows how serious the situation is. Cocaine is an important prop as you know
they are the bad guys.
Fat guy doesn’t care about the girl. He
wants to get out. No one feels sorry for him. The lights go out and he is
alone.
Only see parts of Leon, he is so fast you
don’t see him; it makes the tension rise and intimidates the fat man to scare
him and to make him know what is going to happen to him. He is panicking; Leon
isn’t dead as you know he wouldn’t die straight away.
Dim lighting as he is scared he knocks the
lamp over, shows that he is panicking and something is going to happen. Heavy
breathing shows how scared he is.
The shot of his back knows that it is from
Leon’s point of view. The music is like a heartbeat and as soon as the knife
touches his neck it stops.
Leon is still in the dark, you can only see
his hand and some of his face. Comedy thriller, kind of funny in a way. The
girl isn't bothered, wants to leave. Ironic that he is taking to the guy who
hired Leon. Leon moves slow and easy.
Not conventional as he isn't going to die,
want to scare him. It’s strange as so many deaths you think the fat guy is
going to die. The fat guy will be traumatized and will look over his shoulder
all the time.
He fits in. It’s a contrast between work
and his life. Now you can relate to him if you forget what he has done. Music
is now soft, it’s a guitar and with some pipes or something.
Face is hidden,
smoking, about 12. Behind bars could mean that she may be bad. Mystery. Trapped
in the building. Close up of the bruises on her face, been beaten, he noticed
it, she has problems, he is very observant. She lies to him, he walks off as he doesn't want to get involved. The choker around her neck could show he control
that may be over her. He may have walked off because he is angry that the girl
is treated like that. He doesn't harm women. He kills bad people.
The guy (Gary) looked mysterious till he
turned round, the guy in the black was doing all the work for him and is scared
of Gary.
Props – plant + spray – shows he can look
after things and that he isn’t just a killer. It stands out.
Hole in door to look at the girl –
protective, curious.
Weapons – can show how dangerous he
is.
Lighting – dimmed down to show mystery.
Leather full chest holster- costume, is
important as part of his job. Prepared
for anyone or another job.
Music – is dull and slowly contrasting with
the fast pace of the first scene when he is killing people. Shows how different
his real life is and his job is.
The kitchen is messing, shows he doesn't really care much for it.
Plant – substitute child, cares a lot for,
lonely. It means everything to him. Center stage so when he walks in it’s the
first thing he sees.
Picture of religion- not normal as religion
is peaceful, but he may believe what he is doing is for god.
Glasses – hides his face, identity, when he
was killing people. Hides his emotions. Important.
He sleeps in a chair – to be prepared if
someone comes in.
Girls house – has stuff everywhere his
house has nothing.
Mother looks made up, dresses
inappropriately. Sister is dressed for working out. Gil wants to watch TV.
Telephone interrupts the family, they don’t
get along.
Girl has nothing but her brother.
Now in the film everyone likes Leon.
Tissue to wipe away the blood.
The girl dresses strange as she has no role
model.
She knows what he drinks, she has been
watching him.
Sound – bells sound like Christmas ones,
music is interesting. (Look it up)
Gary’s costume – suit.
Music when he is killing them is sort of
Bollywood style.
Clicks his fingers and the sound stops.
Dirty grimy walls and now blood is added to
it.
He is mad because his suit got ruined so he
does an over kill on the guy.
