6/ Looking back at your preliminary tasks, what do you feel you have learned in the progeression from it to the full product?

3/ what kind of media institution might distribute your film and why?

5/ What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

What have you learnt from technologies from the process of constructing this product? from jessicaricey

4/ Who would be the audience for our media product

7/ In what ways does your media product use, develop and challenge codes and conventions real media?

Analyisis of final piece

Editing

We used the video effect called 'romantic' which adds a blurs to the edge of a Varity of our shots. This adds an airy effect to the scene to emphasise that its a dream. Also it enhanced that its a dream we used a 'fade to black' every time a scene changes to emphasise that its not real life. 

 

We also used slow motion in our opening sequence which adds suspense for the audience. With some parts being slower it takes longer for the audience to see what is happening next creating more tension for them. 

We used vignette video effect whist the protagonist walks down the corridor to the girls room. This makes the area around look dark and gloomy which reflects the characters personality to help establish the characters in the opening scene. 

 

 

Then after when we see the knife and he goes into the room there is a sci-fi effect. This makes the scene darker and gives a horror look to the scene. 

Sound

A lot of non diegetic sounds are used though out the sequence with very little speech. This emphasises the only speech we have and the sounds and music helps set the horror  genre.

The start of our sequence in our production company we used a loud sound of with an explosive sound this emphasises the importance of our film and draws the audience attention to the name of our company.

The first non-diegetic sound is extremely slow passed with a creepy airy sound to it. This is when the protagonist is being introduced making him seem mysterious. This music also fits in with the horror genre.

The first piece of diegetic sound that is heard says 'I cant wait to be part of the family.' The music stops when he says this and carries on when he's finished which signifies the importance of what he says, showing that its a key part to the film.
When 2 girls are introduced there is a non-diegetic sound of creepy lullaby music. This is portraying the girls innocents but also giving it a creepy effect, we know from this point something isn't quite right.
When there is a reaction shot of the two girl, a loud non-diegetic sound of a loud heart beat is playing. This shows the audience how scared the girls are due to what they have found, and makes the audience feel scared too.
When the step-dad is plotting the murder and when he goes to do it there is a non diegetic music being played. The sounds in the music increases as he gets closer into killing them. Adding high suspense for the audience as they know something as they know something bad is going to happen.
The music is stopped by the diegetic sounds of the girls giggling creating a very innocent scene. This brings sympathy to the girls because of dramatic irony of the audience, as they almost know what is going to happen to them.
The non-diegetic music starts again increasing until its stopped by the loud screams of the girls which are also non-diegetic. This shocks the audience as even though you cant see what is happening you can hear there screams again telling the audience how to feel. At the end of our opening sequence we have used the screaming from the two girls as a key to wake the mother from her nightmare in which is followed by a diegetic scream from the mum. In order to enhance the emphasis of the scream we have used an cathedral effect on it, which makes the scream increasingly louder and effective. 


Camera


At the start of our opening sequence we have an establishing shot of the stepdads driving the car towards the destination of the family home. However we have used a panning movement along with this shot to allow the viewer to follow the destination of the car, emphasising its importance to the shot.  

When the step-dad arrives at the family home a close up shot of his foot is firstly introduced when he arrives which builds up mystery in which the camera tracks his movement without viewing his identity. Which overall creates the "unknown".

When the step-dad is greeted by the mother there is a panning shot of her running up to him followed by zoom up to his facial reaction and speech is used to importantly to emphasise the step dads emotions and face expressions  in contrast to the mothers happy reaction of his arrival.

 A zooming shot is followed after a close up of the step-dads facial expression in order to highlight where he is looking. When the following shot is of the two girls how ever we can see asymmetrical power between the antagonist and the two innocent children when both shots have been used as a low angle to emphasise the character as powerful within the film.

The next scene within our film is a mid shot of the two girls sitting opposite each other singing a nursery rhyme. The use of this mid shot has seen focused on the opening sequence to highlight the    conversational dialogue. However following on from that we have used a close up reaction shot when the two girls find a mysterious object in relation to the step dad which indicates to the audience how they should feel towards the step dad

Followed by this we get a close up shot of the step-dad to emphasise his emotion and to enable the views to feel uncomfortable about the character. 

We have used mid shot to view the step dad walking towards the girls bedroom from behind in order to build up suspense hence we cannot see his face and we can see that something is going to happen. We have used this as shot reverse shot in which the shot is followed by a shot with the two girls laughing in there bedroom back to a close up od a hand at the door with a knife which is an important enigma code in our film. However this shows a contrast of emotions between the characters, preparing the audience for what is going to happen next.     

At the end of the opening sequence we have used a mid shot of the mother waking up from her nightmare which is followed by a diegetic scream. This shot is important to the scene as it is made to confuse the audience, leaving them wondering if it was a real event therefore the viewer will want to watch the rest of the film. 

Mise-en-scene   

At the beginning of our opening sequence, the first shot we can see that it is a bright sunny day however the shot is made to look dark through the houses blocking the sunlight, this connotes the step dad bringing darkness to the family home. In order to create a sense equilibrium and normality we shot the our sequence in day light which normally suggests a happy family feeling through the weather. The neighbour hood within the sequence is conveyed as family orientated; allowing the viewer to be able to relate to it. Both mother and step dad within our film are seen to be wearing every day modern clothing and a nice normal looking family house this is to create a sense of normality and every day life, so the audience will be able to relate to the situation.

When there is a shot of the girls bedroom it is bright and pink and cream colours creating a innocent pretty scene, this is contrasting against the dark hall way where the step dad is walking down ,connoting the darkness and evil his character is.

We have used props of a knife, as in our survey this is what the audiences want to see. The knife connotes murder and danger and death, fitting in with what is just about to happen.

The bed the mother wakes up is red this is connoting passion and love between the mum and step dad but also danger.









       

2/ How did we address/ attract our audience

1/ How does your media product, represent a particual soical group?

Our Finished Opening Sequence

Our film pitch

Our Film Pitch

 

Opening sequence script

Opening sequence script 

Camera Shots

Camera shots

 

 

We have taken different types shots of shots that are normally used in horror films, we can link these in when making our own film.

 

 

 

Extreme close up - These are effectively used in horror films to show the characters emotion and to  be uncomfortably close to a person like this is quite frightening. It adds dramatic effects to the shot. Its also intimidating and a very useful shot for our horror of genre. The close-up takes us into the mind of a character. In reality, we only let people that we really trust get THAT close to our face - mothers, children and lovers, usually - so a close up of a face is a very intimate shot. A film-maker may use this to make us feel extra comfortable or extremely uncomfortable about a character, and usually uses a zoom lens in order to get the required framing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Mid shot- Contains a figure from the knees/waist up and is normally used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long shot- contains landscape but gives the viewer a more specific idea of setting. A long shot may show the viewers the building where the action will take place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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High angle shot: Not so extreme as a bird's eye view. The camera is elevated above the action using a crane to give a general overview. High angles make the object photographed seem smaller, and less significant (or scary). The object or character often gets swallowed up by their setting - they become part of a wider picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Low angle shot- These increase height and give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer, of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The background of a low angle shot will tend to be just sky or ceiling, the lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over shoulder shot-  over is a shot of someone or something taken from the perspective or camera angle from the shoulder of  another person. The back of the shoulder and head of this person is used to frame the image of whatever (or whomever) the camera is pointing toward. This type of shot is very common when two  characters are having a discussion and will usually follow an  establishing shot which helps the audience place the characters in their setting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Extreme Long Shot- This can be taken from as much as a quarter of a mile away, and is generally used as a scene-setting, establishing shot. It normally shows an EXTERIOR, eg the outside of a building, or a landscape, and is often used to show scenes of thrilling action eg in a war film or disaster movie. There will be very little detail visible in the shot, it's meant to give a general impression rather than specific information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reaction Shot- To show emotion reaction of character used well in horror or thriller films

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Budget

Budget for our film

 

 

 

If we was going to make our film real.. our budget for our film will be estimated around 4 Million.

 

We will get our funding from Working Title Films because it is a UK production company which cast both American and UK films.

 

What we will spend the money on:

 

• A-list stars- £2.m
• Advertising- £500,000
• Locations- £500,000
• Costume-£100,000
• Production Crew-£900,000
• Extra costs- £200,000

 

 

 

 

  

 

Credits Reseach

Credits research

 

 

Credits are used at the start of the film to tell you who is staring in the film who it is directed by and the title of the film.

 

 

 

 

 

In this opening credits its starts with showing the production company used to create the film. Non diegetic music of creepy airy sounds are used to represent the genre of the film and create tension and keep the audience interested so they will want to continue watching. The colour that are used are blacks and greys again representing the genre, and blacks and grey connate darkness, showing darkness and that dark things will happen during this film. The text flickers almost like a flickering light in a spooky old haunted house, the effects of splatted blooded in the background is spooky and again showing there will be blood in this film and representing the genre.

 

 

 

Audience Theories

Audience Theories

 

 

The hypodermic needle theory is a stages of a communication theory which suggests that media messages are injected into the brains of a uninterested audience. It suggest that we are all the same and we all respond to media messages in the same way.

 

 

 

 

For more information about the Hypodermic needle theory...

 

 

 

 

 

The Effects model

 

The media effect theory is how media can effect the society and how society can effect the media. Some negative implications of this theory are when people do "copy cat murders" For instance if someone gets too hooked in a film and copy's it and kills people in that style as the film will influence the viewer in a very bad way. 

An audience tends to see the audience as passive and sees how exposure to particular aspect of media content can effect the behaviour of the audience.

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on the effects model...

 

 

 

 

Two step-flow model

 

The two flow model can be simplified by two steps, the first step is the opinion leaders will get information for a media source. The second step is the opinion leads will then pass on the information as well as there interpretation to others such as family and friends. The opinion  leaders will be influenced and pay close attention to the mass media and the messages. The influentials are not really informed by the media and will look up to opinion leaders.

 

 

For more information about the two step model ...

 

  

 

The uses and gratification theory

 

 

The uses and gratification theory is an approach to understanding why and how people seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs. An audience approach to understanding mass communication is UTG. It focuses on the consumer or audience rather than the actual message itself. it focuses on the question "What do people do with media?" instead of "What  is the media doing to people?"

It assumes people are taking an role in interpreting in there own life's. it suggests the uses and gratification theory has to fulfil one of these when choosing a media...

1. Identity

2. Educate

3. Entertain

         4. Social interaction

 

Blumer and Katz extended this theory and published there own in 1974. Stating that individuals would use a media text for these reasons:

Diversion - escape from everyday problems and routine.

Personal Relationships - using the media for emotional and other interaction, eg) substituting soap operas for family life

Personal Identity - finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour and values from texts

Surveillance - Information which could be useful for living eg) weather reports, financial news, holiday bargains

 

 

 

 

 

 

Font for our film title

Font title for our film


We chose this font for the title of our film because it fits in with the genre of the film which is horror. The reason the font looks scary is because its big and bold and messy it looks almost as if it has been wrote in blood.

We have changed the colours round for our film title because we wanted the background to be dark so it could convey the genre of horror.
 

Location Shots

Location Shots

 

 

 

These images we have taken above are pictures of the house that we are using when we are filming also shots of the location. We have chose this location because we wanted to create a setting of normality for the start of our film.

 

 

These are images of the road leading up to my house where we will film at the beginning of our opening sequence where the step dad is driving to the house.

Narratives

Narratives

Tvethan Todorov made narrative theory simpler, But this allowed a more complex reading of film text with his theory of Equilibrium and Disequilibrium. He split this into Five different stages....

1. The state of equilibrium- This stage is where everything is as it should be between the powers of any kind. Where equally of importance or effect exists among the various parts of any complex unity.
2. Disequilibrium- a disruption of that order by event.
3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred.
4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.
5. A return or restoration of a new equilibrium at the end of the narrative.
Goffman's character theory
Goffman character theory implies that there are 4 types of broad characters in any media or production..

1. The protagonist (leading character)
2. The deuteragonist (secondary character)
3. The bit player (minor character whose specific background the audience is not aware of)
4. The fool (a character that uses humor to convey messages)

Propp's character theory
Vladimir Propp made a  character theory for looking through media texts and productions, he came up with the idea that there are always 7 different character types in all the tales he had analysed, these 7 different character types can be used in any media. They are:

1. The villain (struggles against the hero)
2. The donor (prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object)
3. The (magical) helper (helps the hero in the quest)
4. The princess (person the hero marries, often sought for during the narrative)
5. The false hero (perceived as good character in beginning but emerges as evil)
6. The dispatcher (character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off)
7. The hero [AKA victim/seeker/paladin/winner, reacts to the donor, weds the princess

Narrative Structure in our film

Narrative structure in our film 

 

 

 

The target audience for our film is 18-25 year olds. In order to keep the audience of our film hooked and entertained we must help them escape their everyday life and routine-diversion/ Blumer and Katz theory.

 

Our film will follow the narrative structure anticipated by Todorov:

 

* An equilibrium- a sense of normality (the step-dad's first arrival).

* The disruption- The equilibrium gets destroyed becoming the disequilibrium(when the two daughters are murdered and the mother is left distraught).

* Attempts to repair- (when the mother goes Insane she believes killing herself is the only option to solve the problem).

* Restoration- a sense of normality is restored becoming a new equilibrium- (when the mother kills herself to be with her children).

Characters and Casting ideas

Story Board

Our Story board for our opening scene

 

 

 

 

 

pitch

Target audience

Target Audience

 

 

Our target audience is student's mixed gender aged 18-25 however more male as they stereotypically like violence and gore.

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

 

Synopsis of our film:

Mother of two children marries a new man and he moves in to their family home. Her two children protest against it and say they don’t like him but the mother wonders why as he is nice to them (in front of her).The children find an object in the step-dads room which they shouldn’t have found and it could destroy him if their mother finds it. He then kills the children because of this. The mother then awakens leaving us to wonder whether it was a dream or reality. The dream then becomes a reality and the mother was distraught and blamed herself for not believing them or taking notice of her dream. She has nightmares about what happened and she slowly starts to go insane and sees her children everywhere, and not just in her nightmares. Finally it becomes too much for her and she kills herself as she believes she will be with her children.

 

 

 

Codes and Coventions

Codes and Conventions

Production Company

Production Company

 

 

Our production company is called 'Spark Productions' We chose this name because its easy to remember and recognisable.

 

 

Ideas for our product company design

 

 

The one we have chosen to use is...

 

 

 



Filming Techniques

Filming Techniques

 

 

 

In our preliminary task we are asked to use the 180 degree rule. What is the 180 degree rule?

 

In film making, the 180-degree rule is a basic guideline regarding the on-screen spatial relationship between a character and another character or object within a scene. An imaginary line called the axis connects the characters, and by keeping the camera on one side of this axis for every shot in the scene, the first character is always frame right of the second character, who is then always frame left of the first. The camera passing over the axis is called jumping the line or crossing the line; breaking the 180-degree rule by shooting on all sides is known as shooting in the round.

 

 

Preliminary Task

 Preliminary Task

 

 

Our preliminary tasks involves us doing match on action shot/revise and it includes us demonstrating the 180 degree rule. Its an exercise that involved opening a door, walking through and across the room to sit on a table opposite the other character and exchanging dialog with each other.

 

Horror questionnaire results

Analysing Friday 13ths Opening scene

 

 

 

Case Study of blair witch project

Case Study of The Blair Witch Project

 

 

 

The Blair Witch Project is a low $22,500 budget film, made by student filmmakers. However it became an  international box office hit in 1999 and made $248,639,099. Blair Witch was a landmark in movie marketing and distribution because it was the first time that any movie had successfully leveraged the Internet as a marketing platform to reach a wide audience. It the most successful independent film of all time.

 

It was an American Horror film directed and edited by  Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez. It was produced by the Haxan Films production company. With the cast of Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams and Joshua Leonard.

 

It is a psychological horror. The target Audience would be Students age 18-25.

 

Summary of the film, In 1994 3 students film makers disappeared in the woods while shooting a documentary about a local legend known as the Blair Witch. We are told they are never seen or heard from again. They travel to the urkittsville, Maryland, formerly Blair and ask locals about it. They are told The locals tell them of Rustin Parr, a hermit who kidnapped seven children in the 1940s and brought them to his house in the woods where he tortured and murdered them.

They explore the woods to look for evidence although they are warned that the woods are haunted and went missing and when she returned she talked about 'The girl that never touched the ground.'

When they are in the woods they get lost lose there map, loads of mysterious things happen. Josh disappears, they hear him screaming but cannot find him. What happens to them is left a mystery but they never return.

 

Opening Sequence

Opening sequences

 

 

The purpose of an opening sequences is to induce the audience to the main character's of the film there age/gender to form a relationship with the character's. Establish the genre of the film and the setting. Here there a variety of different opening sequences that can inspire me and help me produce my own ideas for an opening sequence.

 

 

Dawn of the dead.

 

 

What I like about this clip is the music juxtaposing against what's going on in the opening sequence the non diegetic  music is upbeat and very cheery in contrast to the zombies and what scary things are going on, its  the opposite of music to what you would expect for a horror movie trailer. Therefore this could suggest contrasts during the film.. The credits and writing are red, connoting danger, and they drip away like blood. There is also clips of real footage, making it all the more scary because it seems realistic. There is a lot of the phase 'don't know' and flashing quick scenes, it is portraying the mystery of the film so it captures the audiences attention and we want to keep on watching more. I could use these two techniques in my own opening sequence.

The shinning

 

 

This opening clip is interesting because the genre is established by the non diegetic scary/eyrie music, not by what is going on. The camera is flowing the car on a journey to its mysterious destination, like the car is being watched or followed. This will grip the attention of the audience. I could use these ideas in my own opening sequence.

 

The woman in black

 

 

The Haunting

 

 

 

 

 

Sub genres of horror

 
Gore horror films, an example would be 'Saw'. Gore horror films will include killing a lot of blood and violence

Zombie Horror films, An  example would be 'Walking dead.' Zombie horror films would include zombies amongst humans on earth.

Supernatural/ghost horror films. An example of a supernatural film would be 'Paranormal activity.' This will involve maybe hauntings or supernatural beings in the natural world.

Serial killer horror films. An example would be 'Scream'. This is humans killing other humans

Comedy horror films. Such as 'Shaun of the dead'. Although it will have scary parts in it will have comedy parts too, to make you laugh but also scare you.

Monster horror film. Such as 'Clover field' Involving some sort of a monster.

 

Possession horror films. An example would be 'The devil inside.' This would include a human getting possessed by a supernatural evil sprit, such as the devil, it could include an exorcism.

 
Gothic horror films. Such as 'Sweeny Todd' This will mean a gothic theme to the film, it will be quite dark.