The brief
The task is to create a 2 minute opening of a horror film in groups of 2-4 people. The group we are working in is Wesley Cockrill, Laura Griffiths and Amber Smith. Every person in the group has been assigned different tasks in order for us to complete this task and all have input their opinion in order to improve things. As well as all of this we have been doing independent work to help further our understanding of the horror genre. We have to use specific skills when filming such as editing techniques and different camera shots. This will create a professional and more believable opening.
Horror genre
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Sub-genres of the horror genre
Action horror is a sub-genre that combines with evil and supernatural in horror films. Zombies, Demons, Gore etc. are all themes which are included in this sub-genre. An example of a film which fits this sub-genre would be Dawn of the Dead and Blade etc.
Body horror is another sub-genre which shows the deconstruction of the human body. Examples of films which fit this sub-genre are Teeth, The Invasion, and Cabin Fever etc.
Comedy horror is also a sub-genre of horror combines the elements of both horror and comedy. Examples of these type of films are Scary Movie, Shaun of the Dead etc.
Gothic horror is also a sub-genre of the horror genre which included elements of both gothic and horror. They normally included features such as castles and dungeons etc. Films include Dracula and The Mummy.
Slasher is a sub-genre where the film revolves around a psychotic killer, the killer will usually stalk and then murder his victims brutally. the violence in these types of films usually set them aside from other horrors, it will set aside more films time to focus on the murders.
Zombie horror is a genre that portrays humans in a mindless way and to make it even more scarier. it usually includes a zombie invasion of zombies that feed on the flesh of normal human beings. These can fall into other categories as well.
Action horror is a sub-genre that combines with evil and supernatural in horror films. Zombies, Demons, Gore etc. are all themes which are included in this sub-genre. An example of a film which fits this sub-genre would be Dawn of the Dead and Blade etc.
Body horror is another sub-genre which shows the deconstruction of the human body. Examples of films which fit this sub-genre are Teeth, The Invasion, and Cabin Fever etc.
Comedy horror is also a sub-genre of horror combines the elements of both horror and comedy. Examples of these type of films are Scary Movie, Shaun of the Dead etc.
Gothic horror is also a sub-genre of the horror genre which included elements of both gothic and horror. They normally included features such as castles and dungeons etc. Films include Dracula and The Mummy.
Slasher is a sub-genre where the film revolves around a psychotic killer, the killer will usually stalk and then murder his victims brutally. the violence in these types of films usually set them aside from other horrors, it will set aside more films time to focus on the murders.
Zombie horror is a genre that portrays humans in a mindless way and to make it even more scarier. it usually includes a zombie invasion of zombies that feed on the flesh of normal human beings. These can fall into other categories as well.
dOCUMENTARY
Iconic Film Directors
James Wan: Having made films like Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring, James Wan is a successful horror director. He has said that he wanted to make Saw 'claustrophobic' instead of using establishing shots each time they moved to a different location. James Wan just used interior shots to keep the film intense. The director has a trademark of ventriloquist dolls, which is seen in Saw and Dead Silence. They are the main themes of those films.
Alfred Hitchcock: Alfred Hitchcock had directed multiple horror films from 1922-1976, with a total of 53 credited films, however he still worked on iconic television series with credited involvement. He is well known for directing Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window and North by Northwest. He is a legendary thriller director, however he still knew how to create suspense and shock in his black and white style.
Lucio Fulci: Lucio Fulci was referred to as 'The Godfather of Gore'. He is known for his gory approach to horror films through the 1970's and 1980's. 'City of the Living Dead' and 'Zombie' are two of his well known successful films. He has a theme of using a doctor, reporter or policeman as the lead male in his films.
Wes Craven: Wes Craven is known for creating Freddy Kruger from 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' which he wrote and directed; however he didn't direct any of the films' sequels. He created 'Wes Craven's New Nightmare' which was nominated for Best Featureat in the 1995 Independent Spirit awards- the starting film for the Scream trilogy.
James Wan: Having made films like Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring, James Wan is a successful horror director. He has said that he wanted to make Saw 'claustrophobic' instead of using establishing shots each time they moved to a different location. James Wan just used interior shots to keep the film intense. The director has a trademark of ventriloquist dolls, which is seen in Saw and Dead Silence. They are the main themes of those films.
Alfred Hitchcock: Alfred Hitchcock had directed multiple horror films from 1922-1976, with a total of 53 credited films, however he still worked on iconic television series with credited involvement. He is well known for directing Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window and North by Northwest. He is a legendary thriller director, however he still knew how to create suspense and shock in his black and white style.
Lucio Fulci: Lucio Fulci was referred to as 'The Godfather of Gore'. He is known for his gory approach to horror films through the 1970's and 1980's. 'City of the Living Dead' and 'Zombie' are two of his well known successful films. He has a theme of using a doctor, reporter or policeman as the lead male in his films.
Wes Craven: Wes Craven is known for creating Freddy Kruger from 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' which he wrote and directed; however he didn't direct any of the films' sequels. He created 'Wes Craven's New Nightmare' which was nominated for Best Featureat in the 1995 Independent Spirit awards- the starting film for the Scream trilogy.
Conventions of horrorThe typical conventions of horror include:
Props. These are objects that are used when filming to make the scene more believable. They are used by actors who are performing in a film. Typical characters. The different type of characters involved in a horror film determine what type of horror film it is, these can range from anything from ghosts to cold blooded killers. Typical costumes. These are clothing that actors in the film have to wear to convince the audience that they are a certain character, for example in a ghost film the ghost will stereotypically wear white clothing. Typical setting. This is where the film is based and can range from an abandoned house to an urban hotel. Film example. Sinister, Drag me to hell, Annabelle and Poltergeist. Typical actors can be Evan Peters, it just depends on the audience favourites. The budgets depend on the institution behind the film and amount of CGI used, the more CGI the more money that will be pumped into the making of the film. Opening conventions can include things such as music, institutions and close up camera shots. Institutions can include organisations such as Warner Bros and New Line. |
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Examples of horror genrehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paFgQNPGlsg
This horror trailer of Annabelle is based on the idea of something being possessed, in this case the doll gets possessed and grips the view as this is not considered the "norm". the doll moves around the house and feeds off the families fear. Characters associated with this genre are often dressed in white. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRJA3IN0xCQ The Haunting in Connecticut is a similar kind of horror, this is based on spirits that haunt a house. it uses props such as mirrors which are stereotypical in the horror genre, the mirror presents to us shadows in the background and moving objects. in the movie, the also use high pitch sounds to add to the effect. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txgGhyjPZGg This horror movie, fright night, is based on a different sub-genre of horror which is vampires. This film goes against the stereotype that vampires wear black capes, but they are dressed in dark clothes. Props are used in this film such as guns which is to be expected for this genre. |
Focus group
opening conventions
Opening conventions can include the music, institutions and opening credits displaying the information into the making of the film.
The type of music would be none diegetic sound usually to give the viewers an insight as to what the film will be about. The institutions can also be put on the opening credits but will usually be highlighted to let viewers know who is responsible for the film.
The type of music would be none diegetic sound usually to give the viewers an insight as to what the film will be about. The institutions can also be put on the opening credits but will usually be highlighted to let viewers know who is responsible for the film.
This has helped us to understand the conventions of the horror genre this means we will be able to incorporate it into our horror movie.
This is our group initial ideas
Horror mindmap
This helped us to incorporate some of the horror genre aspects into the making and planning of our opening. This will help it look more realistic to the audience.
locations for our horror opening
![Picture](/uploads/4/0/2/9/40291841/4054500.png?250)
These pictures represent where Katie's and her carer's bedroom will be shot in our opening. We decided to use the second bedroom as the carer's room due to there being spaces either side of the bed. We decided this would be best for one of the scenes where Katie will be standing over her carer's bed. This will be a close up shot. The space at the side of the bed will be where the camera and tripod will be positioned in order to shoot the scene of Katie on the opposite side of the bed. It will include a low angle shot of Katie emphasising her power and dominance over the carer's as they are asleep. We felt that this room was the best use of space. The use of the large mirror behind where she would stand could help to create a psychological effect further because her reflection may be seen in the mirror, and this is often seen in horror films to disturb the audience, as only a dark figure would be shown.
![Picture](/uploads/4/0/2/9/40291841/4559684.jpg?250)
The location we used for the protagonist was a bedroom, we felt this was appropriate as it is in a completely natural setting and it represents the typical english females room. This room has been used for multiple different shots all of which we will be including the protagonist a sit helps reveal how innocent she should be for her age. When shooting these scenes the blinds will be down and we will use interior unnatural lights, giving the impression that we was filming at night.
![Picture](/uploads/4/0/2/9/40291841/8514457.jpg?250)
This location will be used when we witness Katy's parents are murdered, we felt this appropriate as there is a lot of space to film in and it is a regular setting for most people watching the film to relate to. During the filming we closed the curtains to block out the natural lighting and used the light from the lamp in order to give the feel that we was filming at night.
props, location and costumes
Props:
- Weaponry is seen the most in violent horror films. This is because these weapons would be used to cause the death of characters. Fake Blood is often used along side the weapons because they then make the deaths more realistic as the fake blood comes from the murder act.
- A gothic or supernatural horror film would contain more settings such as cobwebs and fog, which could be seen as a prop as well.
- We are going to use weapons such as a gun, rope and chairs in our opening to show the thriller side of our chosen sub-genre of psychological thriller. This creates a violence element to the thrill, as weapons are generally associated with danger and death, which is seen in our opening.
- Castles and manor houses are typically associated with the gothic genre. This makes the films appear like they are clearly set in an older era, such as The Woman In Black.
- A hospital would be used in a body horror the most, due to the deconstruction of bodies. The use of a hospital could also be used in a psychological horror, due to hospitals tending to mental patients.
- Cellars and haunted houses would be used in a paranormal horror because old houses usually have cellars, which often contain of a demonic figure. Characters moving into a new house in a horror immediately implies that something will go wrong, seen in Paranormal Activity.
- The use of a house setting could also suggest what class or types of people live there. If it is a family home, then it is most likely that the characters are a family, which also creates a more realistic setting.
- In a slasher horror film, ripped clothing may be worn by the killer or victim. This would show the violent nature and what the villain is capable of. ripped clothing also implies a gory death, especially if there is blood on the clothing as well.
- If it is a gothic or period drama horror film, it is most likely that period dress would be worn to show the era in which the film is set. For example, The Awakening is set in the 20s, so 1920s clothing is worn to imply this.
- Dark colours are often worn to add to the darkness which may be in the setting. The colour black connotes unhappiness and darkness, which are associated with the horror genre.
- Some villains may choose to cover their identity, proving anonymous, by the use of a mask. There are a variety of masks used in horror films for example; The Purge, Scream, and Saw. All of these masks are white plastic with black/red colours to contrast the paleness of the white.
- If the film is realistic and set in modern times, clothing may be casual, to set a realistic atmosphere, which is common in teen horrors.
Filming schedule
1. Monday 11th January: 12:20-3:30pm
On this date we will be filming the flashback which will include Laura Griffith and Wesley Cockrill who will be playing the real parents, and Jack Smith who will be playing the murderer.
2. Wednesday 13th January: 9:05-12:20pm
Here we will be filming all the close ups in the opening which will include just Laura Hawksley
3. Tuesday 19th January
On this date we will be filming the scene of the carers saying good night to the child. This will include Laura Hawksley who plays Katie, and Amber Smith and Callum Stafford who will be playing the carers
4. Thursday 21st January
On this date we will be filming the child standing over her carers bed in the middle of the night. The actors will include Laura Hawksley, Amber Smith and Callum Stafford.
On this date we will be filming the flashback which will include Laura Griffith and Wesley Cockrill who will be playing the real parents, and Jack Smith who will be playing the murderer.
2. Wednesday 13th January: 9:05-12:20pm
Here we will be filming all the close ups in the opening which will include just Laura Hawksley
3. Tuesday 19th January
On this date we will be filming the scene of the carers saying good night to the child. This will include Laura Hawksley who plays Katie, and Amber Smith and Callum Stafford who will be playing the carers
4. Thursday 21st January
On this date we will be filming the child standing over her carers bed in the middle of the night. The actors will include Laura Hawksley, Amber Smith and Callum Stafford.
our institution
This is our institution logo which we created using Photoshop. We decided to use supernatural related colours such as grey, black and a seafoam green, with the same green glow around the text. This effect can be seen in the 'Paranormal Activity' logo as well as the TV show 'supernatural' logo, therefore relating our institution to that sub-genre. The black background suggests darkness which is a convention of the horror genre, which further links the company to the selected genre. We also wanted to symbolise the unknown and uncertainty of the genre through our images, which is shown through the colour choices. The grey lines were intended to distantly resemble a grainy television screen or something cracked, which is often seen in paranormal movies such as the ring, which people will often relate the image to. We kept the font fairly simple and a sans serif font so it would not overpower the other features in the logo. Effects in paranormal films are usually subtle and build up, so we wanted our logo to represent the simplicity.
font analysis
![Picture](/uploads/4/0/2/9/40291841/8830816.jpg?250)
The first institution is shown pretty much instantly within the first 4 seconds of the opening, in the form of a white hazed serif font which flinches slightly. This gives no insight to the film plot, this can make the audience unsettled as they are unsure of what the film will consist of. The disturbing footage along in the background adds to this feeling as well. The background consists of an extreme close up of a book opening with screechy music which introduces the action to the audience immediately.
![Picture](/uploads/4/0/2/9/40291841/5264879.jpg?250)
At about 30 seconds into the opening, they show the film name after the major productions and casts have been shown. When this is first shown it is shown on a black background so it is clear for the audience to see. It is the same white hazed font like the rest of the credits, then it switches to distorted video footage in the background much like the rest of the opening.
![Picture](/uploads/4/0/2/9/40291841/2462536.jpg?250)
Even more cast names are shown over an extreme close up, with some as double images, this unsettles the viewer a little more and can give more of an insight to what the film is about.
![Picture](/uploads/4/0/2/9/40291841/8516912.jpg?250)
Minor cast members are shown on a black background around one minute into the opening. Black is a connotation of the horror genre, it helps create a feeling of emptiness and loneliness. The font is almost like a mixed font so it gives an effect of someone handwriting it. It has similarities to someone scratching it into something. this implies that nothing is safe and creates a more uneasy feeling.
![Picture](/uploads/4/0/2/9/40291841/1654999.jpg?250)
As the production is shown, images and video footage is shown is faded in gradually again, this makes an obvious contrast between the cast and crew.
![Picture](/uploads/4/0/2/9/40291841/3045598.jpg?250)
More names from the production of the film are introduced with a red background, this symbolizes blood and is a popular connotation of the horror genre this can make the audience sure that it will consist of violence.
Evaluation of 9 frame analysis
In the opening scene of our film we used a close up of a garden to show some normality within our opening and keep our audience wondering what kind of horror this is. The plant is a faded white because the connotations, in the horror genre, are to do with a paranormal figure or some kind of ghost. We have also faded our institutions over in white to add to the paranormal hint. This extreme close-up shot uses existing horror conventions as it suggests that someone is following the camera which is often associated with fear and anxiety also possibly could include the build up to a murder. The use of an extreme close-up shot also invades the audiences personal space, causing discomfort for them from the first shot of the film, this can make them question what they've got in store for them later on in the film. The cold tones in the shot physically create a cold atmosphere for the audience further more suggesting about some kind of paranormal activity. This uses existing conventions of horror as the dull cold colours connote misery which foreshadows the theme and feelings that the characters feel and the themes of the film. The wind causes the plant to move and shake slightly, causing discomfort in the audience. This implies uneasiness and mystery, and that something is not as it should be. This shows our development of existing horror conventions as we have included details which suggest that horror is our chosen genre. The disorganised plant leaves make the shot unsteady, further suggesting that something is not right.
The second shot is of our setting, this lets the viewer have another insight into what type of horror this will consist of, again the white writing consisting of the institutions involved in the film adds to the eery effect. This clear establishing shot may challenge the conventions of horror as close up shots are typically associated with the horror genre. However, the bleak and dull weather implies misery, mystery and dread which are feelings that can be influenced onto the audience's emotions. The vingette video effect creates a dark shadow around the shot, making the center look lighter and therefore the house is the focus of the shot. This will make the audience wonder what exactly the house has got to do with the story. The camera is at a slight angle which could cause distortion in the audience, and furthermore suggesting the chosen genre from the start of the film. The close-up shots lead up to the establishing shot to create a build up to revealing the characters and interior shots inside.
This shot of an old photo of our protagonist is used to show a darker past to this and it is within a scene we really begin to realise the horrors that will be involved.The use of newspaper articles reading murders suggests a background to our film and gives a more detailed plot and therefore a more understandable narrative. The photo will allow the audience to link the photograph to the main character who is next shown throughout the opening. The use of the newspaper article and photo can be seen in other horror films and the headlines give the audience a better understanding of the context. These documents also suggest that someone has been looking over these documents together, and therefore possibly stalking the character. The lighting is harsh and bright, however it is hazed almost suggesting a padt tense. This is the same effect use in the flashback shown in our opening, therefore allowing the audience to associate this effect with something that has already happened. The scrawny handwriting resembles that of a child's, and children in horror films are often seen as being evil. The font is similar to caving letters into a surface like wood, implying a screeching and disturbing sound even thought his audio is not present in our opening.
The inability to see the actresses face clearly connotes traditional horror conventions as the contrasting yellow light behind the figure makes it more difficult to see the foreground. This creates mystery and uncertainty, therefore a fear of the unknown in the audience. Because this shot is the last shot before the film name appears, this leaves a cliff hanger and the audience wanting to know more and asking questions about the footage just shown.
This shot is an extreme close-up we used this technique because it invades the audience's personal space. The use of diegetic clock ticking sounds creates uneasiness and makes the audience prepare for what might happen next. This shows how we have developed existing conventions as we have combined both a close up shot and also having the clock ticking sounds which are the only sound present in the shot and therefore implies that it is counting down to something happening. We have used existing conventions as the time on the clock suggests that the scene is late at night, and the minute hand being just before midnight furthers the idea of a countdown, as midnight is often used as a time that a bad event occurs, we thought because of our horror research that we would include this.
This close up follows the previous extreme close up therefore continuing the tension in the scene and invading the audiences personal space even more, this gives them a little more of and insight to what might happen. The lighting is harsh and dark which darkens the actress' eyes, making them appear black, which shows how we have developed existing horror conventions as the colour black has the connotations of darkness, fear and the unknown. This suggests possession and therefore furthers the idea form the previous shot of her lying in bed that she is not in her right mind.
The shot of the door opening shows how we have researched existing horror conventions and tried to imply them into our opening as much as we can as the light from the landing creates shadows from the actress' silhouette. The shadow connotes some kind of possession or paranormal activity and uncertainty, like someone or something is lurking in the darkness, creating a feeling of the unknown. The slow movement creates tension, as something will suddenly pop up on the screen to disrupt the stillness of the shot. The costume shown in the scene clarifies the characters age as the socks and pyjama trousers cover her body and imply comfort instead of style, this can show the viewer how her age could be an innocent one so would not do such actions without someone or something making her. Red is also present here which suggests her antagonist role as the colour connotes danger and caution.
This close-up shot shows how we have enrolled existing horror conventions as the shot allows the audience to focus on the actress' facial expression which is blank and looks like there is something else she is focusing on and follows her carers leaving the scene. Her facial expression suggests that something is not right and that she is not thinking straight. This further implies to the audience that she has an uncertain relationship with her carers. The use of a child character is often seen in horror films, and has become a popular antagonist because they are usually portrayed to be innocent and therefore shows how we have used existing horror conventions in this shot. The lighting in this shot is dark and contrasts with the previous scene which contained artificial lighting. This, along with the facial expression suggests to the audience that something is wrong and things are going to get worse as the film progresses.
This close up shot shows how our film uses existing conventions of the horror genre. The colour red is present in both the rug and blood on the blade, immediately suggesting to the audience that there is violence in the film and signalling that more is to come later on in the film. Violence is often associated with slasher horror films, which is one of the most recognised horror genres. Blood and gore can be feared within the audience, creating discomfort from the start of the film, therefore confirming a horror genre. This shot also challenges the traditional conventions of the horror genre as the lighting is fairly bright and clear, whereas lighting used in horror films is usually dark and distorted. As this shot is seen in the flashback scene, we wanted to create distortion to confuse the audience and therefore create tension.
Our media product develops forms and conventions of real existing media products in the horror genre as we have edited the footage to convey the psychological thriller. This is shown through the use of eerie, intense music used as our chosen institutions appeared as well as the when the footage became more intense as the opening progressed, as well as a range of shots from the horror genre including close-up shots and quick jump cuts to distort the viewer. To further portray the psychological sub-genre, our media product creates a tense atmosphere through sound and narrative. Psychological thrillers typically use the audience's fears in the narrative, so therefore we wanted our media product to have this effect. The idea of a child being the character who performs the murder of her own parents strikes fear into the audience as this role would be unexpected therefore making the audience scared that this situation could happen in real life.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
The use of a young girl in our film represents the social group as innocent and potentially quite vulnerable. Mainly it represents a middle class family trying to get on with life and are on average wage for the area and are happy and content with life.
We have represented our protagonist as a young girl attracting female audiences, using our protagonist to participate in eveil deeds but not showing her in a sexual manner we are both going against archetypes and the male gaze which is a common occurance within the horror genre, but instead making her appeal more to female audiences as we created her as real as possible. This would insure that woman can relate to her along with this we feel we'll attract a young female audience due to how this particular audience can relate to our protagonist.
We also show our protagonist to be struggling with mental health issues and being haunted by demons of her past which play on her mind. Through creating her like this we feel that we can create more awareness and sympathy for mental illness and reveal how severe it can actually be, this could also help us appeal to not only females but also males. By showing her progression deeper and deeper into insanity because of her mental issues we feel we can show how vulnerable and alone victims of such illness can feel.
In our opening our protagonist is not the hero which again goes against traditional conventions for horror, our protagonist is instead created to be misunderstood as she is portrayed as a villain but also as a victim too, similar to that of films like "Wolfman" where the main villain is also a victim seeking helpm, this can help divide the audiences opinions on what is actually occuring and then will gain extra publicity. This also goes against traditional horror as it is not so black and white when it comes to the villains and heroes within our production.
We also show our protagonist to be struggling with mental health issues and being haunted by demons of her past which play on her mind. Through creating her like this we feel that we can create more awareness and sympathy for mental illness and reveal how severe it can actually be, this could also help us appeal to not only females but also males. By showing her progression deeper and deeper into insanity because of her mental issues we feel we can show how vulnerable and alone victims of such illness can feel.
In our opening our protagonist is not the hero which again goes against traditional conventions for horror, our protagonist is instead created to be misunderstood as she is portrayed as a villain but also as a victim too, similar to that of films like "Wolfman" where the main villain is also a victim seeking helpm, this can help divide the audiences opinions on what is actually occuring and then will gain extra publicity. This also goes against traditional horror as it is not so black and white when it comes to the villains and heroes within our production.
how did you find your target audience?
Our target audience is of those of both genders. As the main gender of the characters are girls. Because of this we feel that our target audience will be predominantly female, also because it is more psychological rather than gory which is the typically preferred genre for men. British women and teenagers would be our target audience as child protagonists have become popular in the horror genre. This is because it is filmed in british locations and the age rating is 15 which is the same as psychological thriller 'Orphan' which we gained inspiration on.
First of all we created a questionnaire and asked a minimum of ten people to fill it out so we could gather a basic understanding of customer needs, from this we then found a favoured sub-genre and would then be able to produce an opening based on their needs. The questionnaire showed us that males prefer a 'slasher' horror film, due to the amount of gore and violence incorporated into the films. However we found that more challenging and paranormal genres were more preferred, so this inspired us to do a more psychological horror opening. We thought that this would help us create a subtle suspense to the viewer and play on their fears further into the film, however we did include some gore to appeal to the male audience.
We also asked what type of characters gained the most sympathy in the horror genre and a child, female character and family person all gained two votes each, which is why we have included as many of these characters as possible as our main character is a female child who has flashbacks of her previously murdered parents. We have included two sets of parents in our opening, the biological and the foster parents, this helps create a family environment and makes the horrors that unwind seem more brutal. So therefore will seem like a bigger loss to the audience.
After considering the content and appropriate age of the target audience, we decided to give our film a certificate rating of 15 which is the same as psychological thriller "Orphan" which we gained inspiration from, due to the child antagonist and her objective, to murder her adoptive family. Due to this certificate rating we believe our target audience would be young adults and teenagers as the violence is not as extensive as an eighteen rated film would be.
First of all we created a questionnaire and asked a minimum of ten people to fill it out so we could gather a basic understanding of customer needs, from this we then found a favoured sub-genre and would then be able to produce an opening based on their needs. The questionnaire showed us that males prefer a 'slasher' horror film, due to the amount of gore and violence incorporated into the films. However we found that more challenging and paranormal genres were more preferred, so this inspired us to do a more psychological horror opening. We thought that this would help us create a subtle suspense to the viewer and play on their fears further into the film, however we did include some gore to appeal to the male audience.
We also asked what type of characters gained the most sympathy in the horror genre and a child, female character and family person all gained two votes each, which is why we have included as many of these characters as possible as our main character is a female child who has flashbacks of her previously murdered parents. We have included two sets of parents in our opening, the biological and the foster parents, this helps create a family environment and makes the horrors that unwind seem more brutal. So therefore will seem like a bigger loss to the audience.
After considering the content and appropriate age of the target audience, we decided to give our film a certificate rating of 15 which is the same as psychological thriller "Orphan" which we gained inspiration from, due to the child antagonist and her objective, to murder her adoptive family. Due to this certificate rating we believe our target audience would be young adults and teenagers as the violence is not as extensive as an eighteen rated film would be.
how does your media product represent particular social groups?
The use of a small girl as one of the main characters in our film, helps attract a female audience because the audience are more likely to feel more sympathy for Katie's mental issues therefore causing the audience to possibly feel parental sympathy for her, as they may want to care for her and take her away from her isolated life. however saying this as the film progresses the girl becomes less innocent and the audience start to realise this, this will most definitely make the audience change their minds and begin to despise the girl. The one thing that could hold onto the audiences sympathy could be the fact that we have included some of the flashbacks from her childhood, the audience may realise that she has been possessed and is participating in violent acts because of her past.
which media institution might distribute your media product and why?
A distribution company we had in mind to distribute our media product was 'Studio Canal'. One of the main reasons for this is because we thought that this company would be most relevant to distribute our product for a number of reasons, one of which would be they are based quite close, in France, but also own multiple other distribution companies for example Optimum Releasing in Britain and Kinowelt in Germany. This would mean when they are distributing our film it would be to a majority European audience making the film reach quite a large audience but still retaining some familiarity to its fans. On top of this Studio Canal have had multiple partnerships and collaborations with many other distribution company's around the world such as Lionsgate, which is a respected distribution company itself allowing us to reach a global audience if we needed to. Another reason for choosing Studio Canal for one of our distributing companies would be their multiple previous successes with other films such as Terminator 2 Judgement Day, but more important would be their successes with horror films such as 'The Evil Dead 2' and 'Close Encounters of Third Kind', we feel that they would be perfect due to how the 'Close Encounters of a Third Kind' was a physiological film and was distributed well around the world by this company. Studio Canal has also worked with both major institutions such as Warner Brothers and independent institutions making them very versatile in terms of how they distribute films and what scale they do so, with them being based in Europe this would benefit us greatly as the majority of the population in Europe have English as a second language so they would be able to view this film.
Other production companies we would use could be Blumhouse and Hammer for funding our product, this is due to both their previous successes with independent films such as 'Paranormal Activity' and 'Sinister' both of which did very well at the box office and afterwards once the film was released on DVD, online streaming and many other media platforms.
Other production companies we would use could be Blumhouse and Hammer for funding our product, this is due to both their previous successes with independent films such as 'Paranormal Activity' and 'Sinister' both of which did very well at the box office and afterwards once the film was released on DVD, online streaming and many other media platforms.
how did you find a target audience for your production?
How did you attract your target audience?
For this section of the evaluation we analysed our opening using Youtube annotations too show how our production attracts our desired audiences, how particular aspects of the opening appeal to them and how this may be similar to other openings that we previously studied, this would give us a broad range of ideas on how to attract a bigger audience efficiently. We have looked at multiple other openings from successful horror movies such as Seven and Texas chainsaw massacre to help us create our opening this gave us a breif on how to attract the audience we wanted, using similar codes and conventions as the template for our own Horror production. Some of these conventions we used to attract our audience but others we challenged to make our production feel more original rather than just being a typical generic Horror film that audiences feel they have already seen. While creating our Horror production we had our Target Audience in mind and catered our production around them as to gain there attention. Our Target Audience is teens with a secondary audience being young adults.
what have you learned about the technologies from the process of constructing your product?
To film our media product we used a Cannon Camcorder provided by the school and used a partner camera tripod also provided by the school to stabilise and make sure we had the ultimate control over the picture quality in terms of keeping it still. However in some cases we held the camera free hand so that we could achieve some better angles which we learnt as a result of engaging in our preliminary task, we later used a stabilization effect within our editing software so that the footage wasn't quite as shaky as it might have been without this effect and was near enough smooth and wouldn't interfere with the audiences viewings. Once our footage was filmed, we later imported it onto an able Mac computer within school where we used iMovie as our editing software, we used iMovie due to our familiarity with it having previously used to to edit our preliminary task and some people in our group previously on a GCSE course in media. Using knowledge we had gained from camera angles and effects we were able have a wide range of creative and diverse footage to edit from. Examples of these shots are 'shot reverse shot', abiding by the 180 degree rule, low angle shot to make things appear bigger and more ominous as well as a high angle shot to make this appear smaller and more vulnerable.
We used Photoshop to create our company's logo as Laura, a member of our group, explained how she had both access and knowledge of how to use it, so as a group we came up with a suitable idea that would fit our genre for our institution to look like and allowed Laura to recreate this on Photoshop.
Having previously helped media students in GCSE I was able to carry over some helpful information into our production mainly use of camera tricks and techniques, as well as how to use some features of the editing software, however I have learnt a lot more during the course of our media product and feel alot more comfortable with information regarding both production of a film and the multiple stages that both go into and follow a film once it has been created, i also feel more confident in using the editing software as i now have a broader knowledge of the programme.
We used Photoshop to create our company's logo as Laura, a member of our group, explained how she had both access and knowledge of how to use it, so as a group we came up with a suitable idea that would fit our genre for our institution to look like and allowed Laura to recreate this on Photoshop.
Having previously helped media students in GCSE I was able to carry over some helpful information into our production mainly use of camera tricks and techniques, as well as how to use some features of the editing software, however I have learnt a lot more during the course of our media product and feel alot more comfortable with information regarding both production of a film and the multiple stages that both go into and follow a film once it has been created, i also feel more confident in using the editing software as i now have a broader knowledge of the programme.
looking back at your preliminary task, what have you learnt from the progression from it to your final media product?
I feel that I have learnt many new camera skills and techniques since creating the preliminary task such as the effectiveness of camera angles and shots, an example of this would be how we used a low angle shot to portray Katy in our opening as more intimidating, such skills were not used in the preliminary task which looking back could of been used to great effect in the many of its scenes but we only stuck to the three techniques shown to us at the start which were shot reverse shot, match on action and the 180 degree rule. During the preliminary task we just about kept to the 180 degree rule but we managed to master this technique during our final task so we have came on a long way.
We have also learnt a lot more about the importance of lighting within our productions since our first preliminary task as when we made our first video not much attention was put towards the lighting and how it creates an atmosphere and we just used the light on location however in our horror opening you can clearly see how the use of lighting has dramatically changed. An example would be the scene where Katy opens her parents door and we see the contrast between the beam of light and the darkness of the room, again looking back I feel that improvements to the lighting in our preliminary task would of made it look a lot more effective especially within the interrogation scene as it looks quite plane and dull. On top of this I feel we have became much more comfortable with the equipment than we were first were, when it came to making the preliminary task, this is most clear when using iMovie for our editing as any editing within the preliminary task was very basic and not used to its full potential however within our horror opening we used a whole range of different effects such as filters,stabilization and different cut techniques to bring our horror to life. During our production of our film we managed to master some of the handy tips and tricks in iMove and managed to manipulate them to help us and help us reach our full potential.
We have also learnt a lot more about the importance of lighting within our productions since our first preliminary task as when we made our first video not much attention was put towards the lighting and how it creates an atmosphere and we just used the light on location however in our horror opening you can clearly see how the use of lighting has dramatically changed. An example would be the scene where Katy opens her parents door and we see the contrast between the beam of light and the darkness of the room, again looking back I feel that improvements to the lighting in our preliminary task would of made it look a lot more effective especially within the interrogation scene as it looks quite plane and dull. On top of this I feel we have became much more comfortable with the equipment than we were first were, when it came to making the preliminary task, this is most clear when using iMovie for our editing as any editing within the preliminary task was very basic and not used to its full potential however within our horror opening we used a whole range of different effects such as filters,stabilization and different cut techniques to bring our horror to life. During our production of our film we managed to master some of the handy tips and tricks in iMove and managed to manipulate them to help us and help us reach our full potential.
horror documentaries
I found these documentaries useful in making our horror movie opening as it provided information into how we can improve and edit what we was composing it also gave an insight into what makes a good convincing horror movie that will leave lasting effects on its audiences. Both of these horror documentaries helped us to manipulate our films into becoming successful films. What I also gained from these documentaries is how to create an effective horror product that is easy to follow and understand with all the right conventions that make horror such a successful genre of film.
I've provided the links below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tKYnMwyzm4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DljSpS4BDA4
I've provided the links below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tKYnMwyzm4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DljSpS4BDA4