My Pitch

 

In our pitch, we have discussed in detail each and every feature which we are using in our horror film to make it unique and effective in our own way. In some of the slides, we discussed the location of our opening sequence and why it is situated there, and why we are using that particular farmhouse. We discussed the characters in detail and described their actions and what the characters are going to be feeling throughout the openig sequence. We discussed our inspiration and why we had chosen "Wrong turn" and "Jeepers Creepers" and the comparison between those films and our opening sequence.

Analysing Props: The Shining

The Shining: Analysing Props

The Axe from the film “The Shining” is similar to the weapon that we are using because it’s a common weapon which is known to cause severe injuries when used in the incorrect way.

An axe which is used in a horror film is normally a long axe so that the person who is using the axe to murder people will be swinging the axe around like a maniac. This makes the audience feel on the edge of their seat because the axe is getting closer and closer to the victim and the audience feel uncomfortable with the build-up to a violent scene.

The bigger a weapon is, the audience will see at as a more intimidating weapon as it looks like it will inflict more damage upon the victim, resulting in a violent and gory death. The weapon can also show the dominance of a character, so whoever has the larger weapon or the more “dangerous” weapon will be seen as the character which has control over his opponent.

The character that normally has the bigger weapon comes off as a more aggressive person and this frightens the audience as they wonder what psychopathic ideas he has created in his head.

 

Prop two: Saw: The rope scene

The rope scene from the film “Saw IV” consists of a man who is tied in a chair and he has to complete a task. I can refer this to our opening sequence as the woman is dragged into the house by the psychopath and then tied to a chair and asked questions while he looks through his collection of murder weapons.

 

Analysing costumes: Otis from Devils Rejects

Otis - Devils Rejects

In this particular photo from "The Devils Rejects" you can see that he is wearing a vest top which could suggest that he is trying to show off his masculinity and tis could emphasise his dominance and power as he has large muscles. The vest top is grey and this is more of a darker colour, which could symbolise that he has a darker side to him, and considering he is holding guns in the air this enforces tha he is more of a violent and aggressive person. The setting is of a high key lighting which would normally suggest that the scene is more calm and has a happier atmosphere, but the character looks quite sinister so this is unique twist to the character and the setting.

His t shirt is bloodstained which could suggest that he has recently been in some kind of battle or fight against his opponent. He looks like quite a violent character and the colour of blood can suggest that he has an evil side to him as red normally represents an danger or someone to be aware of.

The holsters on his belt suggest that he normally carries a gun around with him, which could suggest that is always alert of his surroundings as he could be a character who is wanted by a group of opponents and he is trying to fight them off in order to survive.

Mise En Scene for our opening sequence

The layout of the pitch

Dawn of the Dead

Dawn of the dead

At the start of the opening titles, you can see a group of religious people praying in some kind of mosque. From this particular scene I can suggest that they are praying for foregiveness as a few seconds after, you see a detailed zombie which could link with why they are praying, they might be begging for survival of their friends or family.

You can clearly see that the outbreak of infection is spreading and the new reporters are telling the report globally, advising the population to evacuate the area as soon as possible. In some of the clips, the reporters are actually experiencing the attack while they are reporting it, which suggests that in most areas it has become over populated with this new species. A zombie is defined as an unrealistic human who thrives on flesh, and something like this we wouldn't see everyday, and that's why we would be frightened of them as its an unnatural behaviour of a human.

Setting: This setting is effective as it shows people trying to escape from large groups of flesh craving creatures and they are gradually gaining power. This is a perfect example of a zombie outbreak because it shows the effects of what could happen in the worst circumstances, and in this case they do this by getting the audience on the edge of their seat by making them feel isolated as if they were part of the catastrophe.

The editing in these opening credits is very common in the case of zombie films. They are disorientated and this could create a picture of all of the people left trying to escape desperately. As they are in such a mad panic, this could emphasise the disorientation as they are not thinking about what they are doing as all they are worried about is survival. The opening credits themself are actually edited so when they are moving out of the shot, they symoblise a line of blood which suggests that its a violent, but the colour red symbolises evil in my opinion, so this new species isn't a kind that they can co operate with.

Analysing film opening credits: Walking dead - Season 3

Setting: The opening credits of Walking dead symbolise that the film evolves around survival of the characters and escaping the area. The lonliness of the city shown in the credits make the audience want to watch further as they begin to wonder why the streets have been abandoned. The picture on the left shows that the city has evacuated and the whole road is blocked up with empty cars in which people had abandoned to escape the zombie like characters.

Props: A couple of seconds into the video you can see a piece of newspaper which is blown away by the wind, and underneath it is a police badge. This would seem frightening to the audience as the police would normally succeed in taking power in a situation, and seeing the badge left on the floor can suggest that they have failed and there is something much more powerful which is trying to take control of the city/area. This emphasises that the entire popultaion might of evacuated from this "new power" which is trying to take control by fighting the police off. Also, there are bullet cases on a rock and we can infer that there has been a case of murder or attack as the bullet cases and the police badge interlink as this shows the police tried to fight the other species off with a 9mm pistol. The arrows are also seen as a weapon of harm, and in this case it might have been used incorrectly to try and injure a person, or maybe an unknown species.

Effects: A zoom lense is used to make one specific item important in the scene/shot. In this case, the police badge, the watch and the arrows in the tree are focused on which means you can suggest that the police are involved in this programme. The same applies for most of the objects throughout the opening credits. The time of the day is editied so that it going fast throughout the day, which shows that there is no activity happening during the day. When the time is sped up, it shows a variety of houses and areas which seem empty and deserted after this devastating outbreak, and this creates emotion as when the audience are watching this programme, they might wonder how it feels to be isolated or in a situation where you are still alive in the city and everyone else has vanished.

Lighting: In this particular opening, you can see that it is mostly high key lighting as you can clearly see that there is no sign of a life form anywhere close, which enforces the feeling of emptiness. When parts of the opening credits are sped up, the shots are partly disorientated which could suggest that if you were looking at a city from this perspective, you would be confused about how you would be able to survive/cope in an environment like this.

Google Drive Questionnaire

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bN_AUJFFYFicUATxWI__ZMdbe7lpTyJZcmUSXxk1DG8/viewanalytics

This link shows the average of what my results are for my questionnaire named "Horror questionnaire" which gives a few grid questions and closed questions to get a basic analysis of what people like to see the most on a horror scene/movie.

If you would like to answer my questionnaire, click the link below!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bN_AUJFFYFicUATxWI__ZMdbe7lpTyJZcmUSXxk1DG8/viewform

Preliminary task: The Solus Script

‘The Solus’ script

*Looking at man*
Persona: “What have we done…?”

Man: “We?!”

*Looking at persona*
Persona: “Yes… we… (smirks) you didn’t stop me”

*Looking at man*
Man: “I shouldn’t have to stop you… you should know when to stop”

*Looking at persona*
Persona: “But we like it”

*Looking at man*
Man: (lashing out) “You like it! (echoes)

*Changes to both but man is alone*

*Back to looking at persona*

*Looking at man*
Man: “You’re insane”

*Looking at persona*
Persona: “We’re insane”

*Looking at man*
Man: “Leave me alone”

*Looking at persona*
Persona: “We’ll never be alone… never”

*Looking at man
Man: “No!” (echoes)

*Changes to both but man is alone*

END.

Preliminary task: Editing with Harry Clarke (Completed)

We are currently working in our AS Media class and Harry is sorting out each part of the scene into chronological order and then he has rendered each of the clips. The video above is the completed preliminary task, there are some things we need to improve such as the sound quality and we could of included many more shots to create more meaning.

 Also another fault of ours was that we forgot to crop some of the clips so there is an outtake in the last clip. At some points, the camera was canted and slightly blurred, but nevertheless this created a stronger scene as the scene was meant to create a dark and mysetrious effect.

The dailogue didn't flow effectively as the transitions between each clip were't smooth and they weren't cropped as well as they could of been, and when the clips were being recorded, the length of some of the clips were quite short and difficult to edit.

 However, Harry's use of editing and audio made the preliminary task more eye cacthing and effective as he used a variety of effects and transitions.

In progress of completing our preliminary task

During our preliminary task, we had to consider many different factors which could affect how effective our editing would turn out.

Throughout creating the task we had many outtakes as we had realised that we had recorded for a time which was too short or we were trying to contain our laughter. We also had a problem with the lights as they were difficult to control because they kept switching to fast and we wanted one individual light over the table and not three flashing lights. Also, the camera was a little out of focus at some points so that the image in the scene is sometimes blurred, but it is also effective even though it was a  mistake as it blurred the character who was the "Evil" one.

Our positive factors of creating our scenes were the we positioned the camera so that we have the shot/reverse shot, match on action and 180 degree rule. Throughout the time we were taking various photographs to show what we were doing while recording each section, and some of these are shown in this blog (to the left).

Preliminary Task

For this particular task, we have to record a character who walks into a room, sits opposite another character and then exchanges a couple of line of dialogue. We also have to include a reverse shot and a one hundred and eighty degree angle.

We have thought of two main ideas. The first idea was a game of cards, with a comedy side to a serious game. We would let them exchange money while the characters are focused from each side of their shoulders when addressing each other.

Our second idea we expanded on a lot more, which was a man with two personalities. We drew on some flash cards to show each individual scene. The first scene included the man slowly opening the door in silence and as he closes it he sees a man who looks similar to him on a table in the corner of the room and he is tapping his fingers against the table. For this part of the scene I am using a diegetic sound. When he gradually goes over to the character, he realises that it is himself. To do this effectively we would have to switch the camera angles so that the other person is only seen from the back of the head. To do this we are making sure that the other character which we are using has a similar hairstyle to the character who is being seen. He begins to remind him of when he killed someone with the murder weapon and the character begins to realise what he has done, and when the camera slowly moves out, he is the only one who is sitting around the table and he realises that he is the psychopathic character who was sitting opposite the chair, which represented his self conscience.

In these pictures, you can see that we took a photo of each camera angle and included Mise En Scene. In these particular freeze frames, you can see the setting of where the dialogue is exchanged and when the main character (Ryan Clarke) is walking into the room. We have shown that the scene is low key lighting and the setting symbolises that it's a horror/psychological film.

Representation

Throughout this lesson, we learnt about representation. Representation is defined as "How individuals represent themselves in groups and issues.

Stereotypes are formed when you see something which is common in society and when you see something which is similar you refer it to the common object before. It acts as a "visual shortcut" for an audience (This makes it easier to understand a character).

Archetypes are the ultimate stereotype. This specific representation goes into detail on a stereotype, so an example of this would be a "Brainless blonde bimbo". This would be a prime example as we would stereotype a character as stupid if there natural hair colour was blonde and they were caked in make up.

A countertype is the confusion of a stereotype. A character could be stereotyped as stupid, but as soon as you begin to develop an understanding of the character, you could realise that your stereotype of the character is the complete opposite of what the characteristics of that character is.

Camera Angles

Close up: This shows a little bit of the setting, but it focuses on the characters face in detail or it can show the most important character in the scene.

Birds eye view: This shows a scene from overhead or above a setting. In this particular picture you can see the overview of my garden and what it looks like from this perspective.

Extreme close up: This makes the object magnified beyond the point to how we would visualise it, we would normally see less detail as we are not concentrating on one part of the body/face.

Long shot: A shot to show the comparison between a character and another object/character. In this example you can see the comparison between my height and the bed side cabinet.



Eye level shot: In this particular shot you can see the other character from a humans perspective and detail, this creates effect as the audience can see it from their perspective.

Medium shot: This shot ensures that the audience are specifically focused on one individual character and what they are doing. It also focuses on the detail of a character.




Sound and Meaning

In this lesson we learnt about various key points which surround Sounds.

A direct address is when a character speaks directly to the audience about their thoughts of feelings. This engages the audience as they know what he/she is feeling while the other characters sometimes do not.

Diegetic sound is when a specific sound comes from the actual film and it isn't a voice over. So for example, the sound of a gun or a scream would be a diegetic sound as the characters in the film will hear the noise.

Whereas a Non Diegetic sound  is a sound in which the characters don't hear the noise, so this would be either a voice over or a song to create the scene. It would be something which you can hear as an audience, but none of the characters are able to hear it, an example of this would be a backing track to a tension building scene.

A voiceover is a commentary on either the film or another subject as the scenes continue. They are normally not accompanied by a synchronised image while the Narrator is forming the words.

Sound bridges are a sound or song which plays continuously from one scene to another. This creates a smooth transition as the frames flow effectively. This enhances the continuity throughout the entire film.

A parallel sound makes sure that the image and the soundtrack complement each other, so this means choosing the correct soundtrack for a specific scene.

The contrapuntal sound is the complete opposite of a parallel sound, so a soundtrack which doesn't complement the scene. This could be effective because you could think that a scene is filled with happiness when it could be confused with a tension building scene.

Mise en scene

In this particular lesson we learnt about Mise en scene, which is a French term which means "Put into a scene or frame". A prime example of this could be visual information which is essential to a specific audience.

The focal points of Mise en scene are Set, Design and Space, Make up and Hair, Costume, Facial Expressions and Body Language, Lighting and Colour, and finally the positioning of each character. Each of these items have different effects to the reaction of the audience, and they can also have hidden meanings which are there for the audience to think about every perspective of a story.

The Set, Design and Space are key when Mise en scene is included in a scene. This particular point is important as it is more of a setting/ location rather than a background. In each individual scene made, they have to make the setting original as it gives the scene a distinctive appearance. The audience can be manipulated as the angles of the camera can make a large character seem small or a large character seem small. This is why space is an important factor of Mise en scene.

The Costume, Hair and Make Up can make an audience stereotype a certain character as soon as they visualise them. The producers will sometimes make the characters stand out to make sure that the audience know that the character is important and that it's key to focus on them. You can also see what time period the film/ programme was created and what the culture is.

The Facial Expressions and Body Language of a character brings out each individual emotions and thought. The body language could have an effect as the character could be gritting their teeth, which symbolises that the character is angry, but if the backing track was more joyful, then this would confuse the audience as the character is shown as angry but the backing track makes him seem happier in this sense.

The composition is key when using Mise en scene. the positioning of each frame will focus on one specific item or character which is important so the audience are given a hint of what's happening, this could also make a connection between two characters seem obvious.

The colour of a scene can give a particular feel, mood or look. This is because each colour can symbolise something. For example, blue is a colour which is seen as calm or peaceful, whereas red is seen as angry and being evil, so it gives it that dramatic effect.

Low key and High key lighting also create a scene. Low key lighting is where you have darker shadows so it gives the scene more of a dark and descending effect. High key lighting is the complete opposite, so something that is bright and colourful which creates a feeling of happiness in a scene.

Golden rules for a successful blog

For this blog I am going to list down some rules so that by the end of this year I will have completed a well-constructed blog.

Rule Number one:

I need to make sure that my blog has a completed construction with clearly signposted responses to the evaluation questions. This is an important rule as candidates failed to label their work specifically.

Rule Number two:

This blog has to be well organised and it must include tags, making the navigation more accessible. Work that is created during class shouldn't be included on this blog.

Rule Number Three:

Research and planning are two key points to creating a successful blog. The blog must include lots of embedded videos and audios, with annotated images. There should be a prolonging improvement in each individual blog.

Rule Number Four:

There should be an on-going record of progress throughout the entire blog. The work shouldn't be left until the last moment and individual blogs should be completed over a period of time.

Rule Number Five:

Centers are encouraged to get candidates to analyse contemporary products, including uploading photos which have been edited to analyse. The work should have recorded weaknesses and strengths of each individual blog and the improvements which have been made.

Rule Number Six:

The blog must include peer feedback and group responses. This could be used as an audience question to enhance the completed product.

Rule Number Seven:

The work must include a range of formats which have been used creatively. The evaluation could include PowerPoint, Prezi, Video, and Audio and embedded documents to support the work. Including things such as integrating a screen shot in the blog.

Rule Number Eight:

The use of digital technology is required to finish the blog successfully. Making sure that that the responses are relevant is key when answering the question. Also, a variety of Media forms would create a successful product.

Rule Number Nine:

A strong depth of understanding of the question which features YouTube video responses will be key for getting a better final product. The blogging should include "a full interactive multimedia experience" so this includes navigation, sophistication of work, and different formats of work, group work and creative pieces.

Rule Number Ten:

The work should be consistent and it should show a creative journey or work and experiments throughout the entire course.

Social Class of Audiences and Qualitative and Quantitative studies

 

There are various different Media perspectives and what shows were the most and least popular. The word "Genre" specifically means a film/programme which is put in a category of similar plot perspectives. When creating an advertisement, the producers will focus on two groups, these are "Niche" and "Mass" groups. A "Niche" group is focused on a small group of people. For example, people who like Soap Operas could be classed as a small audience. A "Mass" group will focus around large areas of people. An example of this would be people who watch television as this would be classed as a large audience. It can also be dependent on the social class of a family. We have a set of classes which are Group A, Group B, Group C1, Group C2, Group D and Group E. This varies from Doctors to young children who are unemployed. This can have a particular effect on the target audience as the programme might be too sophisticated for a particular audience, therefore they have to consider these "Classes".

We researched into different online websites which advertised television programmes and movies. The "American Broadcasting Company" (ABC) promote series such as Wipe-Out, Secret Millionaire and The View.

We also learnt the meaning of Quantitative and Qualitative. The Quantitative study will focus on number based topics, and the questions will be closed to create the designated answer. Qualitative studies will analyse existing products and create open questions which will leave a wide range of answers, also leaving it to interpretation.

We then moved on to what perspective the audience see's the production as. Some audiences can be classed as "Critics" due to their high standard of analogy. This particular audience will also focus on other publicity such as text in magazines and Advertisements on television.

Genre Expectations and Codes

I have learnt what "Genre Expectations" is. The genre specifically focuses around the target audience and they make sure that they can catch the audience's attention by using different techniques. An example of this could be horror, they would use part of a tension building scene which increases the intensity of the advertisement. As technology develops, the films might become more interesting as the standards of quality and detail in the production are becoming increasingly high.

I also learnt the definition of codes and the different types of codes used in the filming industry. "Codes" are a group of signs which develop meaning to create certain emotions for each particular film. The codes are sub-categorized into technical and symbolic codes. Technical codes consist of the equipment used to tell the story from every perspective. Symbolic codes focus on the expressions of each character to enforce meaning. To do this, they use different camera angles to make specific scenes stand out as more meaningful
.