BFI Media Talk by Pete Fraser

Recently, we went on a school trip to BFI in London to listen to Chief Examiner Pete Fraser and others speak. I made notes on the advice he gave us. The activity that I found most useful was analysing past thriller openings that students had made. We graded them and pointed out what was wrong in each one and how each could be improved. I valued this activity as I now know what things we must not include in our thriller such as cliché story lines and plots as well as camera work and editing tips.

We also looked into the world of special effects which I found inspiring, I hope to research special effects in the near future in order to broaden my knowledge and understanding of the film industry.

In addition, the well-known actor Dexter Fletcher spoke to us about his new film 'Wild Bill' which he directed.  He took us through an extract of his film; I found all of these talks fascinating and inspiring. I understood the importance of introducing and informing the audience of the characters as soon as possible which Fletcher stressed when talking about his new film. Therefore, I hope to do this in our thriller as I now understand the importance of characterisation.