Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock is perhaps the most well known director when it comes to the Thriller genre. In fact he is often depicted 'The Master Of Suspense' due to his talents for creating tension and his niche for Psychological Thrillers. Hitchcock was particularly famous for his inventive directing techniques, including point of view shots through which the audience sees things from the main character's perspective, a form of voyeurism which builds suspense enormously.
To the same extent, Hitchcock's films often featured a twist ending to add to the tension of the Thriller but are sometimes used only to throw the viewer off and increase suspense further when the real plot twist is revealed. The 1960 Horror- Thriller, 'Psycho' Hitchcock's most well known film uses this specific technique of mimicking the characters' movement.
To the same extent, Hitchcock's films often featured a twist ending to add to the tension of the Thriller but are sometimes used only to throw the viewer off and increase suspense further when the real plot twist is revealed. The 1960 Horror- Thriller, 'Psycho' Hitchcock's most well known film uses this specific technique of mimicking the characters' movement.
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg is another iconic director, however unlike Alfred Hitchcock, Spielberg does not keep to just one genre of film, Spielberg is famous for his broad range of directing from children's science - fiction films such as 'E.T.' to epic, historical dramas such as 'Schindler's List'. Although, Spielberg's Thriller films are just as renowned - some of his most acclaimed work includes films such as: 'Jaws','Jurassic Park','Indiana Jones', 'Twilight Zone', 'Munich', 'Firelight' and 'Twister'. Steven Spielberg has a distinctive style of directing, using varying film techniques to create different effects such as to build tension, convey a relationship, to show a conversation or even to convey something about the character to the audience. A trademark of Spielberg's is an uncut master shot with varied shot compositions. "Steven Spielberg sometimes covers multiple-character scenes with a single, uncut shot in which the camera and the actors move in such a way that the shot goes from a wide shot to a close-up to an over-the-shoulder back to a wide shot, ending on a close-up – all in a single uncut shot while the actors move, talk and do things."
The clip is from the 2002 crime drama, 'Catch Me If You Can', and although not a Thriller this clip gives an example of Spielberg's signature uncut master shot technique.
The following is a trailer for one of Spielberg's most well known films, the 1975 Thriller 'Jaws'.
This Thriller is particularly tense as it uses the element of surprise to keep the audience in an almost constant state of suspense. Moreover, Spielberg is very selective in the camera angles used, as before the victim is attacked by 'Jaws' the audience is almost always shown a low angle or point of view shot to create a sinister sense of foreboding that keeps the viewer on edge, this combined with the famous music composed by John Williams also lets the audience know that 'Jaws' is about to attack.
http://www.televisiontunes.com/Jaws.html
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino is another famous director, who like Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg has his own individual style of directing. Tarantino has directed many Thriller films, but a recurring theme throughout most of Tarantino's films, which transitions across multiple film genres, is gore and blood but on an exaggerated scale - meaning that the finished scene actually takes on a comedic and less sinister feel. Tarantino has directed many prestigious Thriller films such as 'Reservoir Dogs', 'Pulp Fiction', 'Kill Bill Volume One', 'Kill Bill Volume Two' and 'From Dusk till Dawn'.
After researching these three influential directors I have discovered that there are varying factors which make a Thriller film successful, most importantly is the style of directing and although these directors all have their own individual style of directing. Both Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino all use point - of - view shots as some point as a way of intensifying the scene and building suspense for the audience as it puts the audience in the same position as the protagonist and therefore the audience feels the characters' danger is their own. From this research I have deduced that when I make my own Thriller opening I will use point- of - view shots to increase the level of suspense.
http://www.televisiontunes.com/Jaws.html
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino is another famous director, who like Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg has his own individual style of directing. Tarantino has directed many Thriller films, but a recurring theme throughout most of Tarantino's films, which transitions across multiple film genres, is gore and blood but on an exaggerated scale - meaning that the finished scene actually takes on a comedic and less sinister feel. Tarantino has directed many prestigious Thriller films such as 'Reservoir Dogs', 'Pulp Fiction', 'Kill Bill Volume One', 'Kill Bill Volume Two' and 'From Dusk till Dawn'.
Within these films, Tarantino is known for his use of low angle or point of view shots and these shots are usually filmed with the main character in the trunk of a car, looking out. For example this is from the <nineteen ninety two> film 'Reservoir Dogs'.
The following is the trailer for the 1994 Comedy- Crime Thriller 'Pulp Fiction'. Within this trailer I can see some of the typical characteristics of a Thriller, for example there are many fast cuts/ fast paced editing and typical conventions such as violence, suspense, drugs, a love story line crime and props such as guns.
After researching these three influential directors I have discovered that there are varying factors which make a Thriller film successful, most importantly is the style of directing and although these directors all have their own individual style of directing. Both Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino all use point - of - view shots as some point as a way of intensifying the scene and building suspense for the audience as it puts the audience in the same position as the protagonist and therefore the audience feels the characters' danger is their own. From this research I have deduced that when I make my own Thriller opening I will use point- of - view shots to increase the level of suspense.
Sources: Wiki, Google image, YouTube, ranker.com, lavideofilmmaker.com, wavsource.com, mewlists.com,
No comments:
Post a Comment