Questionnaire analysis

We have already decided on the plot of our thriller, but we thought it would be good to have a few people complete a questionnaire we created, this is because it will give us a wider view on what the public like in thriller. Here are the results:

What is your favourite type of thriller?

Horror 2

Crime 0

Terrorism 0

Mystery 3

Supernatural 2

From the first question it shows us that people like mysterious thrillers, this is good because our thriller is based on a mystery, this will help us because we will know what thrillers people like and as the highest result was mystery, we know that people are more likely to watch ours as they will see it is mysterious at the opening. 

What thriller opening do you think is best to draw the audience in? 

Lots of action 0

Murder 4

Little action 0

Mystery 4

Other 0

From these results it shows that the most two common types of thriller openings best to draw an audience in were murder and a mystery. This is good for our thriller because the opening is a mystery and also similar to a murder because someone gets his by a car in which they could have been killed. This question helps us because we know our viewers are more likely to be drawn into our thriller.

Which thriller opening do you think is the most effective in terms of drawing an audience in?

Seven 6

Panic Room 0

Children of Men 0

28 Days Later 1

Saw 1

From these results it shows that Seven was the most popular for drawing an audience in, this is because it gives of clues as to what the film is about but it doesn’t show to much information. This is good for us because we will know that when filming our thriller to give of different clues as to what it is about but to also leave the viewer wondering what will happen next, this is what makes a viewer to continue watching a film. 

This is Seven’s opening credits; this is good because its help us to understand how to film our thriller, and different ideas that we should give in the opening to our thriller.

What do you find builds up suspense in a film?

Lighting 1

Music 4

Sound 1

Setting/ place 2

Camera angles 0

This is important to our thriller because we will know that people find music to help build up suspense within a film, this means that we know to play music at the opening of our thriller because people will be more likely to watch it, the music sets the genre to the film, and once we play the music the viewer will have an idea as to whether they will want to watch our thriller

How much of the plot of a thriller should be revealed in the opening sequence?

A lot 2

Some 4

A little 2

None 0

This will help our thriller because we will know whether people will want us to reveal lots of our thriller in the opening sequence. From the results its shows half of the people we asked said that revealing a little bit of the plot is good because people will get an idea as to whether they will want to watch it or not as they think they will enjoy it. 

This is an example of a thriller opening that shows some clues to what the thriller is about, this will help us because we will know how much to reveal in our thriller opening. 

How do you think a thriller should open?

Present day 1

Flash-forward 2

Flash-back 1

Everyday life 0

Chase scene 2

A murder/ crime 2

From these results shows us that there was an even amount with three of the options, these are flash-forward, chase scene and murder/ crime scene. In our thriller we will have a premonition (when someone is sleeping and they have a flash-forward that they run someone over) also it will be similar to a murder, because the person will get hurt. 

Do you think dialogue is important in a thriller?

Yes 5

No 2

Unsure 1

This is important to our thriller because the majority of people we asked think that dialogue is important to a thriller, so therefore if we add dialogue to the opening scene will we know that lots of people will be interested in watching our thriller, also we will need to make sure that we put our dialogue into lots of detail so that the viewers will understand the plot of the thriller.

Which element is most important in a thriller?

Acting 2

Special effects 4

Costume/ props 0

Setting 2

This is important to the opening of our thriller because if we make sure that we have good acting then it is more likely that people will want to watch out thriller. Also running someone over is a special effect, and this is the main sequence to the opening of our thriller, so by knowing that people like special effects will increase the amount of viewers that we will get.

What do you like most about the thriller genre?

Confusion 2

Suspense 3

Mystery 1

Good vs. evil 2

Compelling characters 0

This is important to the opening of our thriller because we will know that people will want to see confusion within our thriller, this is good because we will have confusion within the opening of our thriller. Also there will be suspense in the opening so it will help increase popularity. This will help us because we know what people like about thrillers, and what they think is good to make it a thriller.

Who is your favourite thriller director?

Martin Scorses 1

Alfred Hitchcock 1

Steven Spielberg 2

David Fincher 2

M. Night Shyamalan 0

Quentin Tarrantino 2

This is important to our thriller opening because we will know what type of thrillers people will like if we know who their favourite director is, this is because we will see the different types of thriller that people produce. There was an even amount between Steven Spielberg, David Fincher, and Quentin Tarrantino. An example of a thriller from one of these director Steven Spielberg is from the film Jaws. This is a thriller from Steven Spielberg that became successful, so if we create a film with similar ideas it is highly likely it will be a successful thriller.