Preliminary exercise

In class we were shown a video which exhibited a number of camera angles, our challenge was then to create our own video using the same structure and following the same sequence, using the same camera angles - to practise using the video camera and to know and be able to recreate the vast range of camera angles that are available for us to use within our own thriller opening. 

As can be seen from the video this was an exploratory exercise and we used this as an opportunity to be creative and try a diverse variety of camera angles and to gain inspiration as to the shots that we liked most and thought looked best for when it came to filming our opening sequence, for example we thought that the shot - reverse - shot or over the shoulder shots looked very good and connoted a relationship between two characters effectively to the audience and would therefore be a certain shot sequence that we would like to use within our thriller opening. 

The only problem that we faced as a group was the soundtrack within this short clip as the dialogue cannot be heard, however the main focus was on the camera angles and we will therefore take this knowledge on board and be very careful when filming, and give the soundtrack to our thriller careful thought and consideration as our research has demonstrated that the soundtrack is a major contributing factor in the building of tension and suspense within a thriller film.  

Examples of our favourite shots

This is the shot - reverse - shot sequence that we were especially pleased with as we feel that it conveys a relationship between the two characters, they obviously know each other from their facial expressions and this is easily identified by the audience. As a group we feel that a sequence like this would be a good series of shots to use within our thriller opening to 

establish the relationship between our
main character/ antagonist and her victim. 

Equally, this high angle shot although used in this sequence just to show the giving of the book could be used in our thriller to show our main character as being in a position of power and to make the victim look especially weak, powerless and inferior to the strong antagonist as she looks down on him.