QUESTION FIVE:HOW DID YOU ATTRACT/ADDRESS YOUR AUDIENCE?

From previous research and watching thriller films \ thriller opening sequences, we therefore had a

better understanding of how to engage our audience; we did this by watching a range of

thrillers from really recent films \ opening sequences to ones which were made years ago. We then

applied the common codes and conventions into addressing and attracting our audience.

SUSPENSE \ TENSION ■ Thriller films are untimely about building suspense and tension in order to

keep the audience drawn into the storyline. We reinforced this typical convention through the use of sound; it started calm and childlike – which is connotes innocence, usually the opposite to what a thriller would normally incorporate, however we found this helped to set a ‘creepy’ and unsettling tone, the music builds up as we used ambient sounds to really capture the audience’s attention, before the music speeding up in pace and ending with a ‘crash’, this was extremely helpful in keeping the audience engaged.

■ In thrillers, opening sequences often tend to keep things a secret; this is done by withholding information. We used this by not really making it explicit what was wrong with the character; they could figure out the fact that the character suffers with some kind of illness, but it wouldn’t be able to be identified just what that illness may be. By keeping some parts of the plot a mystery helping to fully capture the audience’s attention.

THE SUBJECTWe selected a very touchy subject of ‘mental illnesses’ which

if not represented sensitively could address and attract audiences in a negative way – due to people finding it to be insensitive or untrue. Therefore we addressed the subject in a sensitive way and a non explicit way in order to ensure we

didn’t upset anyone during the process of creating the opening sequence.

The use of props help convey to the audience she is in some way ill.

LOCATION(S)We used settings such as the woods – this is a common location used

within thriller films; this is normally as the woods are seen as unsafe and a risky location.

We also created the setting of a ‘hospital’. These settings followed the typical conventions of the thriller genre.

OVERALL!Overall, I feel I attracted and addressed the audience by

appealing to those who are already a fan of the genre; by using the typical conventions of a thriller film, allowing those who

already enjoy watching these films to be able to access the film easily. The music helped to engage and keep the audience’s

attention throughout the opening sequence and disallowed them to look away at any point. We kept parts of the storyline a

mystery and didn’t reveal much to also help keep the audience intrigued.