body of lies case study

Body of Lies Case Study

Institutions
The production company for this film is Warner Bros, it was released in 2008 and directed by Ridley Scott. It was filmed in both the USA and Morocco, including locations such as Annapolis, Maryland, USA, Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Rabat, Morocco and Casablanca, Morroco. The budget for this film is estimated at $70,000,000. In the USA, by 11 January 2009, gross profit for this film was $39,380,442. The film stars famous actors Leonardo DiCaprio (Roger Ferris), Russell Crowe (Ed Hoffman) and Mark Strong (Hani). It’s based on David Ignatius' 2007 novel about a CIA operative, Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio), who uncovers a lead on a major terrorist leader. When Ferris devises a plan to infiltrate his network, he must first win the backing of cunning CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe). Although seemingly his allies, Ferris questions how far he can really trust these men without putting his entire operation - and his life - on the line.

Audience

The cast is has a high number or male actors and it seems to be very male orientated when you look at the advertisement. This tells the viewers that it is maybe containing lots of action and ‘boy’s toys’ very stereotypical. Normally when it is a male dominated film one of the men will be very attractive, this is something for the ladies I guess! The viewers would be mainly male as that is who the film Is genuinely aimed at, shown straight away with colour choice and male involvement. It looks quite a grown up film I guess, possibly aimed at the 16 and above area, with the mature start. It will contain offensive language and violent scenes.

Semiology/Location:

The Arabic man in the first scene uses Semiology when he points his finger as this symbolises a dictator or leader. The fact that he is speaking in a language other than English also shows a sense of secrecy and the film makers not wanting the audience to know things, this puts pressure on the audience to attempt to understand and they feel out of control and I suppose victimised as this is their country but they can’t understand or be in control.

There is a train rushing past which shows a sense of urgency and something bad about to happen, it also represents that time might be running out, I think the train going past is a good idea, you can hear that it is near to a popular busy place just by hearing a train, knowing there is connections to a lot of places from there. The climax is where the swot team begins to try and get past and there is a milk truck which shows how normal the street is even though something bad is about to happen. The milkman’s whistling is the start of the operation forming, it sends everyone into action, the plan is precise.

Codes/forms & Conventions of the thriller genre

The start frame of the film is quite plain yet effective. It’s a black picture starting with quiet soft music leading into deep bass music when the words ‘Manchester, England’ comes onto the screen. This gives off a sense of danger and uneasiness when reading it. The impact is good and strong. This also gives off that the area has been very much inflicted but racism or terrorism. Fear is brought over us just with these words and music, before we know anything it already has us alert and guessing.

Opening Annalysis- The Book of Eli.

The Book of Eli

At the start of the film it is a black screen, music starts to creep in creating tension into the unknown of what is behind the darkness, its almost the noise of a helicopter rotating or nature close up. There is then a flash of white and it transacts and fades into a wood with trees making the screen darker, the woods look oddly mystical and not really right, the camera is a little tilted so as if it is looking up at the trees to make the audience feel small and exhibited.

Shadows form all over the woods due to the trees. This is one key symbol of a thriller. It gives off with a message of danger and something is about to happen as it is in the dark and many things can be unseen. The trees look lifeless and empty, it looks cold and dark, like winter. The trees have no leaves, leaving you feeling desolated even though you are in a surrounded place. You feel watched as anyone could be behind them trees. The music changes from the black-white-trees when it hit’s the white screen it makes two thuds and then the music starts, louder and more upbeat, more curious when the trees come into view. Ash is falling off the tree’s the ash falling down also sends a message of danger as it relates with fire which is a little strange and a huge contrast as fire is hot and warm, when the rest of the place looks so dark and cold and airy, what is the ash trying to tell us?

The camera moves down, away from the light above making the screen a dull green colour all over. The camera moves right to the forest floor, a gun comes into view, something from the trees that have been falling falls on it to almost make it look like blood landing on the weapon. The shot doesn’t stop and hover at this, it carries on moving until a hand, naked, empty and lifeless comes into contact with the audience. You see the rest of the gun one side of the screen and then the start of the hand and body. This is quite a dramatic start and lets the viewer know what’s in store. You ask yourself, how did they did? Were they killed? Did the commit suicide? These thoughts run through your mind watching it.

You then see the camera move over the body, a fully clothed male, his arm above is head, head slightly tilted to the camera as if to watch us as a view past. In the distance out of focas is an animal, a skinny cat I think, I makes an meow purring noise that gently echos a little, more and more light gets withdrawn as we travel over the body. When the camera fixes on the man hiding in a tree stump, the audience can not see him at first which makes you think why are we focusing on this part of the wood why not the body? It then moves to a close up so all the audience can react to what is being seen.

The cat runs up to the body and starts to almost lick or wanting to eat it, its so skinny and weak, you can see its bones, makes you wonder what is really happening in this forest. This also shows that the man is defiantly dead. You see it getting closer and closer, to as gas mask, you hear a low breathing noise as the camera is drawn to this, you see the breathing of the person, up and down. He is holding an arrow, it goes into a point of view shot, the persons looking at the cat. The shot is then brought back to a close up of the sharp end of the arrow. This is impacted with the use of light and music, its dark all around the arrow with only specs of light. Its creates fear and tension waiting and knowing what is going to happen.

This is a very successful thriller opening, it does tell you what is happening in some ways but also really does make you think and guess, why are they even in this forest? Why a cat? Did he kill himself or was he killed? Was the gun planted next to him? You feel watched and terrorised. Wanting to watch more is key and this defiantly does it.

Thriller Opening- Day of filming

We filmed on Thursday 17th November as planned, everything today has gone very smoothly. We arrived at our desired location at approximately 8.45. I really enjoyed the day. We had some issues with the speech part at the end because Liam and Ed couldn't manage to keep a straight face for very long! But this is all part of the filming process and it wouldn't have been so enjoyable without our comical parts!

Thriller Opening- Basic Storyboard

Click here to view my groups first storyboard

Here is our groups storyboard, as you can see it is very basic and the sketches are not really challenging, but its enough for us to follow. We have planned out all the different shots and what part of the location we will be using for each. \I think as we know what we are doing to quite a high extent it will run very smoothing on the day of filming which i am looking forward to, our location is perfect and its really starting to come together now.

Thriller Opening- Stuff to complete before filming

We have decided to film most probably next tuesday with permission from Alex Kennedy and his family as it is their house.
We've got quite a lot of stuff to sort out before then, finding props and costumes, maybe visiting the location so all of our team are familiar with it and we can practice where and how the shots will be taken, as we need to us a room inside it will be interesting to look at which one would best for our opening.
We will be looking at the swimming pool to see which window also to use in that building.

Thriller Opening- Name Ideas

We think its time we should start thinking about names! We are having a group discussion about possibilities and reasons why they should be used. We don't want it to be an obvious title and have a spooky edge like most thrillers. Most thrillers have a name that make you fear the rest of the film right from the start such as 'Taken' this gives us an idea into what could happen, it's rather obvious.

Evaporation

Hunt the Hunted

The Delivery - Delivery of pizza and news of the girl in the house, this creates tension and is obvious enough to know the kind of things its about, but less enough to want to know more. 

Hunt the Hunted

Apprehension 

The finding
The last lane

Thriller Opening- First Screening Questionarre

Media Questionnaire.

Please Circle Selected Answer

Do you think our opening uses typical thriller conventions?

Yes/No

Did you like our opening overall?

Yes/No

Did you attach to our story line right away?

Yes/No

Did you feel it was a thriller straight away?

Yes/No

Did you think our location was appropriate?

Yes/No

Did it make you want to watch more?

Yes/No

Do you think this is successful so far?

Yes/No

Do you think the effects used were effective to create the atmosphere needed?

Yes/No

Do you notice the error with the paper delivery bag?

Yes/No

Do you think we should speed up the bit near the swimming pool when we watch her?

Yes/No

Gender?

Female/male

Age?

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How many faults did you note during the whole sequence?

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What did you feel when watching it? E.g. fear/voyeurism

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What things could we make better?

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What things did you like?

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Any ideas into possible names we could have after watching the first 2 minutes?

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Anything else or questions?

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