Nick Borthwick Evaluation
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Friday 30 April 2010
Saturday 17 April 2010
Evaluation
1) My media product uses, develops and challenges forms and conventions of real media products by looking as realistic and believable as possible. The typical features that would be expected in a horror film are blood, weapons and other terrifying objects and themes. My film did not develop or challenge generic horror conventions as I wanted it to be similar to a realistic horror film so the audience know what to expect and that it lives up to their expectations so they don't feel cheated. I wanted a wider audience appeal as possible for my product. So therefore it contains typical conventions of a horror film, an example of this is were my Mum drops the phone at the end of the sequence and at the same time were I’m laid against a tree in the woods with fake blood on my wrists so it looks like I’ve cut them. This adds to the horrific atmosphere that is being created. The sub genre for my film is super natural horror as the son becomes obsessed with the occult and goes missing, then comes across a lot of occult symbols. There is also a lot of references to the occult included throughout the film such as the son copying occult symbols and researching them on the internet. The only horror film that influences, and is similar to my work is 'The Craft'.
2) My media product represents particular social groups as the only two characters featured in the film are the mother and the son. So therefore it shows a typical mother and son relationship as when the son goes missing the mother gets worried and becomes caring and maternal towards him by phoning the police as soon as she realises he’s gone missing. Gender is also represented in a stereotypical way as the son is more of a dominant character as he becomes brave when walking through the woods wearing a leather jacket with the hood up. The mother is less dominant as she becomes helpless because she doesn’t know what to do as her son’s gone missing. This links to the target audience as my film is an 18 rated certificate as people at that age would be able to understand the film and relate to it more.
3) My films going to be a British made film with a wide theatrical release so it gains media attention, such as reviews and ratings in newspapers, and appeals to a wider audience. Also I think it’s the type of film that would be released at the cinema as it’s a typical horror film which I think many people will be talking about. I think quite a large number of people would want to view the film as it contains a lot of twists in the storyline and many people will be wondering what’s going to happen next as a lot of unexpected things occur, it will also create tension when being viewed. An advantage of showing my film at the cinema is that after a few months it will be available to purchase on DVD, like most films that are at the cinema. Therefore if people enjoy the film at the cinema they can buy it to view at their own leisure. I would like my film to be viewed by a wider and diverse audience. In order to extend the longevity of my film, after releasing it on DVD I may release it on Blu Ray and HD in order for the audience to view it in better quality. After a number of years I may re-release my film on DVD with extra content so people don't forget about it or I could even make a sequel to keep the brand fresh so it doesn't get old quickly. Another idea is to release a special edition DVD when it reaches its 10th, 20th and 25th aniverseries. The mise en scene for my film is my house, my kitchen and the woods behind Bishop Cuthbert Estate which is quite deserted and is the perfect location to film parts of a horror film. So far this year there has only been three horror films made, it could be argued that there is a gap in the market for this genre of film for example, 'Paranormal Activity' is a supernatural horror and became a success. Therefore it could be assumed that a film similar to this is needed to fill the void in the market, as my film is a British film it is cheap to make and not a lot of big name actors would be needed to star in it because that's not the purpose of people watching horror films, they view them for their own enjoyment and entertainment. Also a horror film makes a large return to the box office as when one is released a lot of people rush to go and see it and it becomes popular in the media.
4) The audience for my media product is adults over the age of 18 as it’s an 18 certificate and myself as one of the actors is 18 so therefore people my age will be able to relate to and understand the plot more. Also adults in their 30’s and 40’s would understand the plotline as the mother is that sort of age so therefore mothers that age would get the storyline. Young people in their 20’s would be within the target range and anybody who enjoys a good horror film as usually horror films are aimed at an adult audience. I think my film could possibly reach out to a wider audience demographic as a lot of adults could understand and sympathise with the plotline. Although my film would be an 18 certificate people who are a lot older than that age can view and enjoy the film.
5) I attracted and addressed my audience by playing on the mother and son relationship throughout the film so therefore both people in my age group and mothers can relate to the storyline and really feel the emotions. There some particular points throughout my film that would appeal and terrify the audience for example, the beginning were I am looking up occult symbols and trying to draw them, also another scene were I am looking up occult symbols on the internet. Another part which may ‘creep’ people out would be towards the end were there is a quick flash of me running a knife towards my wrist, then an over the shoulder shot of me looking at the occult symbol then slicing it in half with a knife. Then a close up of me with fake blood on my wrists to make it look like I’ve cut myself. The audience can put themselves in mine and my mother’s position when viewing it especially people in those age groups, as it may feel realistic to them and they may think its creepy and weird which are typical conventions that are associated with horror films.
6) The strengths of using the camera equipment is that the footage from the hard drive can be put straight onto the macs. However the cameras that require a tape take longer to upload as the tape has to be rewound first which can take quite a while. I experienced use with both of these types of cameras as I had to film twice to improve my film and add more special effects. I didn't face many problems during my filming process but I did have to film in deserted locations such as the woods so I would have had to protect my camera and equipment in case it rained and I always carried the camera around in the bag. The cameras were small so it was hard to see the screen to see if I had filmed the right footage and to see if I had filmed it properly however I couldn't get an industry camera as those are not available in college. However an advantage to having a small camera is that they are light and compact whereas an industry camera is heavy and can be hard to carry around. The name of the camera's I used were 'Sony Handycam DCR-SR37E' and 'Canon MD216'. The software I used to edit my film was iMovie and I played around with the special effects to make it look like a proper horror film. It allowed me to shorten the clips and make them longer in order to fit the two minutes, the dialogue, to show the camera shot and to make sure the soundtrack would be in sync. I made the mise en scene darker in order for it to look terrifying and to fit in with my genre. To do this I clicked on the arrow underneath the clip, clicked video adjustments and adjusted the lighting on the clip to make it look darker and to fit in with my genre, then when I was happy with it I clicked done. To create my titles I clicked on the 'T' icon for titles then I selected a theme which I thought would be suitable for my film. For the production logo I chose the background from google images, put it onto photoshop for it to fit the correct size. For the font of the logo I visited the website dafont.com and picked a font that I thought would relate to horror. When it came to choosing my soundtrack for my film I used garageband which I found useful as it was quick and easy to import over my film. Firstly I chose some sounds that fit into the genre of horror and that would be realistic, imported them onto itunes then imported over my film to make the soundtrack. However I did find it hard to find a suitable soundtrack that would fit in with my genre, I had to have a good look around through all of the different sounds but I eventually found one that was suitable enough. To create the soundtrack I picked sounds from the category dark and they are very different sounds, however they are all called texture and ambience and have various different lengths. When all sounds are mixed together it creates a very dark creepy soundtrack which would fit in well with my film and when the titles are shown between each one there is the sound of heartbeats, towards the end there are screeching noises when I have the knife in my hand.
7) After looking back at my preliminary task I feel that I have progressed a lot and that my knowledge relating to editing and camera techniques has improved. For the preliminary task I had to film a sort sequence showing show match on action, shot reverse shot and the 180 degree rule. I worked in a group of three and filmed in various locations around the college to show these different camera techniques. The strengths are that we all worked well as a group, I felt that our editing techniques were quite a high standard as the software was easy to use. However the weaknesses are that my camera work wasn't very good but when I carried out this task I had only just started the course. We did use all of the camera techniques that were asked of us but not to a high level for example, when filming the part when walking down the corridoor the camera was shaking all over the place therefore making the picture blurry and you could hardly make out who was being filmed. Another reason for this is because the person I was working with was walking too fast and I couldn't keep up so had to go at a faster pace. I also accidentally got my other group member in the shot and he was shown carrying the tripod which didn't look realistic or professional. Another part of the film which I thought was unrealistic was towards the end when I was filming and my other two group members were playing table football in the common room, I don't think this part was needed and it didn't add much to the sequence so was therefore pointless. Also the end credits were there are some random people I didn't know, but the other two members of my group knew, were pulling faces at the camera. For the main task I had to create the opening of a film either film noir or horror lasting approximately two minutes. For my first task I created a mind map and researched both genres and decided to choose horror for the genre of my film. I carried out a lot of research into the genre to give me ideas and help plan my film including creating a storyboard and an animatic. To help with my opening sequence and title order I used the opening clip from 'Halloween' which I got from you tube and posted on my blog. I found that the research of my genre, the storyboard and the animatic really helped me produce my film as it gave me ideas of what to include.
2) My media product represents particular social groups as the only two characters featured in the film are the mother and the son. So therefore it shows a typical mother and son relationship as when the son goes missing the mother gets worried and becomes caring and maternal towards him by phoning the police as soon as she realises he’s gone missing. Gender is also represented in a stereotypical way as the son is more of a dominant character as he becomes brave when walking through the woods wearing a leather jacket with the hood up. The mother is less dominant as she becomes helpless because she doesn’t know what to do as her son’s gone missing. This links to the target audience as my film is an 18 rated certificate as people at that age would be able to understand the film and relate to it more.
3) My films going to be a British made film with a wide theatrical release so it gains media attention, such as reviews and ratings in newspapers, and appeals to a wider audience. Also I think it’s the type of film that would be released at the cinema as it’s a typical horror film which I think many people will be talking about. I think quite a large number of people would want to view the film as it contains a lot of twists in the storyline and many people will be wondering what’s going to happen next as a lot of unexpected things occur, it will also create tension when being viewed. An advantage of showing my film at the cinema is that after a few months it will be available to purchase on DVD, like most films that are at the cinema. Therefore if people enjoy the film at the cinema they can buy it to view at their own leisure. I would like my film to be viewed by a wider and diverse audience. In order to extend the longevity of my film, after releasing it on DVD I may release it on Blu Ray and HD in order for the audience to view it in better quality. After a number of years I may re-release my film on DVD with extra content so people don't forget about it or I could even make a sequel to keep the brand fresh so it doesn't get old quickly. Another idea is to release a special edition DVD when it reaches its 10th, 20th and 25th aniverseries. The mise en scene for my film is my house, my kitchen and the woods behind Bishop Cuthbert Estate which is quite deserted and is the perfect location to film parts of a horror film. So far this year there has only been three horror films made, it could be argued that there is a gap in the market for this genre of film for example, 'Paranormal Activity' is a supernatural horror and became a success. Therefore it could be assumed that a film similar to this is needed to fill the void in the market, as my film is a British film it is cheap to make and not a lot of big name actors would be needed to star in it because that's not the purpose of people watching horror films, they view them for their own enjoyment and entertainment. Also a horror film makes a large return to the box office as when one is released a lot of people rush to go and see it and it becomes popular in the media.
4) The audience for my media product is adults over the age of 18 as it’s an 18 certificate and myself as one of the actors is 18 so therefore people my age will be able to relate to and understand the plot more. Also adults in their 30’s and 40’s would understand the plotline as the mother is that sort of age so therefore mothers that age would get the storyline. Young people in their 20’s would be within the target range and anybody who enjoys a good horror film as usually horror films are aimed at an adult audience. I think my film could possibly reach out to a wider audience demographic as a lot of adults could understand and sympathise with the plotline. Although my film would be an 18 certificate people who are a lot older than that age can view and enjoy the film.
5) I attracted and addressed my audience by playing on the mother and son relationship throughout the film so therefore both people in my age group and mothers can relate to the storyline and really feel the emotions. There some particular points throughout my film that would appeal and terrify the audience for example, the beginning were I am looking up occult symbols and trying to draw them, also another scene were I am looking up occult symbols on the internet. Another part which may ‘creep’ people out would be towards the end were there is a quick flash of me running a knife towards my wrist, then an over the shoulder shot of me looking at the occult symbol then slicing it in half with a knife. Then a close up of me with fake blood on my wrists to make it look like I’ve cut myself. The audience can put themselves in mine and my mother’s position when viewing it especially people in those age groups, as it may feel realistic to them and they may think its creepy and weird which are typical conventions that are associated with horror films.
6) The strengths of using the camera equipment is that the footage from the hard drive can be put straight onto the macs. However the cameras that require a tape take longer to upload as the tape has to be rewound first which can take quite a while. I experienced use with both of these types of cameras as I had to film twice to improve my film and add more special effects. I didn't face many problems during my filming process but I did have to film in deserted locations such as the woods so I would have had to protect my camera and equipment in case it rained and I always carried the camera around in the bag. The cameras were small so it was hard to see the screen to see if I had filmed the right footage and to see if I had filmed it properly however I couldn't get an industry camera as those are not available in college. However an advantage to having a small camera is that they are light and compact whereas an industry camera is heavy and can be hard to carry around. The name of the camera's I used were 'Sony Handycam DCR-SR37E' and 'Canon MD216'. The software I used to edit my film was iMovie and I played around with the special effects to make it look like a proper horror film. It allowed me to shorten the clips and make them longer in order to fit the two minutes, the dialogue, to show the camera shot and to make sure the soundtrack would be in sync. I made the mise en scene darker in order for it to look terrifying and to fit in with my genre. To do this I clicked on the arrow underneath the clip, clicked video adjustments and adjusted the lighting on the clip to make it look darker and to fit in with my genre, then when I was happy with it I clicked done. To create my titles I clicked on the 'T' icon for titles then I selected a theme which I thought would be suitable for my film. For the production logo I chose the background from google images, put it onto photoshop for it to fit the correct size. For the font of the logo I visited the website dafont.com and picked a font that I thought would relate to horror. When it came to choosing my soundtrack for my film I used garageband which I found useful as it was quick and easy to import over my film. Firstly I chose some sounds that fit into the genre of horror and that would be realistic, imported them onto itunes then imported over my film to make the soundtrack. However I did find it hard to find a suitable soundtrack that would fit in with my genre, I had to have a good look around through all of the different sounds but I eventually found one that was suitable enough. To create the soundtrack I picked sounds from the category dark and they are very different sounds, however they are all called texture and ambience and have various different lengths. When all sounds are mixed together it creates a very dark creepy soundtrack which would fit in well with my film and when the titles are shown between each one there is the sound of heartbeats, towards the end there are screeching noises when I have the knife in my hand.
7) After looking back at my preliminary task I feel that I have progressed a lot and that my knowledge relating to editing and camera techniques has improved. For the preliminary task I had to film a sort sequence showing show match on action, shot reverse shot and the 180 degree rule. I worked in a group of three and filmed in various locations around the college to show these different camera techniques. The strengths are that we all worked well as a group, I felt that our editing techniques were quite a high standard as the software was easy to use. However the weaknesses are that my camera work wasn't very good but when I carried out this task I had only just started the course. We did use all of the camera techniques that were asked of us but not to a high level for example, when filming the part when walking down the corridoor the camera was shaking all over the place therefore making the picture blurry and you could hardly make out who was being filmed. Another reason for this is because the person I was working with was walking too fast and I couldn't keep up so had to go at a faster pace. I also accidentally got my other group member in the shot and he was shown carrying the tripod which didn't look realistic or professional. Another part of the film which I thought was unrealistic was towards the end when I was filming and my other two group members were playing table football in the common room, I don't think this part was needed and it didn't add much to the sequence so was therefore pointless. Also the end credits were there are some random people I didn't know, but the other two members of my group knew, were pulling faces at the camera. For the main task I had to create the opening of a film either film noir or horror lasting approximately two minutes. For my first task I created a mind map and researched both genres and decided to choose horror for the genre of my film. I carried out a lot of research into the genre to give me ideas and help plan my film including creating a storyboard and an animatic. To help with my opening sequence and title order I used the opening clip from 'Halloween' which I got from you tube and posted on my blog. I found that the research of my genre, the storyboard and the animatic really helped me produce my film as it gave me ideas of what to include.
Wednesday 31 March 2010
Tuesday 30 March 2010
Software used to complete my project
The software which I used on the macs was imovie, garageband and itunes. 
For my soundtrack I used garageband, I picked some dark creepy music and sounds to suit the genre of horror such as heartbeats which can be heard when each set of titles come up on screen. I had to make the music longer and repeat some of the sounds over again so the length of my soundtrack fits the length of my film. Although the soundtrack isn't over the full film as there is some dialogue featured were my mother is on the phone to the police to report me missing. I then imported it via itunes to imovie and put it over my film.
I used imovie to put together my film and pick the parts I filmed which I wanted to use for my final cut. Then I put them in order on the timeline and edited them to fit the amount of time in which the film runs for. I had to make some clips longer but also shorten some and I also played around with the colours in order to make the picture darker so it will fit into the genre of horror.
For my soundtrack I used garageband, I picked some dark creepy music and sounds to suit the genre of horror such as heartbeats which can be heard when each set of titles come up on screen. I had to make the music longer and repeat some of the sounds over again so the length of my soundtrack fits the length of my film. Although the soundtrack isn't over the full film as there is some dialogue featured were my mother is on the phone to the police to report me missing. I then imported it via itunes to imovie and put it over my film.
I used imovie to put together my film and pick the parts I filmed which I wanted to use for my final cut. Then I put them in order on the timeline and edited them to fit the amount of time in which the film runs for. I had to make some clips longer but also shorten some and I also played around with the colours in order to make the picture darker so it will fit into the genre of horror.
Thursday 11 March 2010
Ideas For Improvement
To improve my opening sequence for the final cut I plan to add a soundtrack of spooky and creepy music from garageband and import it via itunes, which reflects the atmosphere in which my film is trying to create. Towards the end of the opening sequence were my Mam drops the phone I plan to add flashbacks of a person (possibly myself) bleeding from the wrists and other parts of the body. To create this effect I will use fake blood with various different substances in order to make it look more realistic. These flashbacks will cause my Mam to drop the phone as she will assumes the worst and that something really bad has happend to me, which will give her a huge shock and leave her speechless.
Rough Cut
Feedback - I decided to change the title of my film from 'The Occult Murder Mysteries' to 'Occult Obsession'. The reason for this was because some people said that 'The Occult Murder Mysteries' sounded more like the title to a TV drama series rather than a film and after thinking about I agree. So I decided to change the name to 'Occult Obsession' as that sounds more like the title to a horror film.
Thursday 25 February 2010
Production Logo
For the background I used photoshop to create a creepy effect which looks like some woods which reflects the story line from my film and also fits in with the genre of horror.
To create the logo and the font I used the website dafont.com as it contains a lot of fonts and different types of special effects. I chose this particular font because it looks scary and it fits in with the genre of horror.
To create the logo and the font I used the website dafont.com as it contains a lot of fonts and different types of special effects. I chose this particular font because it looks scary and it fits in with the genre of horror.
Monday 22 February 2010
Risk Assessment
For my piece I am going to film in some woods in the middle of Bishop Cuthbert estate. Although this is seen as an isolated location I will have an adult present with me in order to film and get all the camera shots and angles. Also there are many potential hazards in the woods such as steep drops, even though there are proper footpaths, and therefore I will need to be careful while filming. Another aspect I will need to keep an eye on is the weather forecast so the equipment doesn't get wet or damaged so when carrying the camera and tripod from each location I will need to keep them protected in their bags. Also I will need to be careful not to drop any of the equipment whilst in the woods. Another potential risk is that I am taking a weapon in the form of a knife with me so I can slice the occult symbol in half off the tree. I will keep the knife protected and safe at all times until I need to use it which comes towards the end of the sequence, to add effect and keep with the horrific theme.
Monday 8 February 2010
Assessment 6 Organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props
Actors- For my opening sequence only 2 actors will feature. The actors are me and my mother, as I will play the teen who becomes obsessed with the occult and goes missing in the woods and my mother will play the upset and concerned mother trying to find out why her son has gone missing. She phones the police and tells them he's never went missimg before and that he's been acting strange lately. I go into the woods pull pieces of paper with notes and symbols on out of my pocket that I have been making over a period of time. At the very end I slice a symbol that's stuck on a tree with a knife and then the camera cuts to my mother dropping the phone. The sequence will feature close ups but not of our faces just the sides of our faces and the backs of our heads while moving and walking this doesn't give our full identities away and creates more of a horrorific effect and makes it more of a mystery.
Locations- There are going to be 2 main locations in which I plan to use throughout my sequence in the local area. The locations are my house and various rooms in it such as the living room for the scenes were my mam is on the phone, the kitchen, the study and my bedroom were I plan to film the the scenes were I make notes and draw mysterious occult symbols. The other main location is the reservoir around the back of Bishop Cuthbert Estate and the woods surrounding it were I go missing and I'm seen walking through the long grass pulling notes and symbols out of my pocket and then use a knife to slice one that is stuck on a tree. This particular location is big and isolated which is a typical theme for a horror film. Both locations are easily accessible for filming purposes.
Costumes- The costumes I plan for the actors to wear are everday casual clothing such as jeans etc. However because I'll be filming outside I'll be wearing my black leather jacket with my hood up and my face can't be seen only the back of my body is seen and from the neck down to show me walking. This fits in with the theme of horror and makes it look more spooky and suspicious to the viewer.
Props- I will not need to use many props for my sequence. However the props in which I do plan to use are a knife for when I slice the symbol on the tree, a phone for when my mam phones the police to report me missing, a fake newspaper article for my mam to hold while she's on the phone to the police relating to teenagers obsessions with the occult and the number of deaths it has caused and some paper scrumpled up containing coffee stains to make it look old fashioned for when I write notes and draw symbols relating to the occult. All props are typical of would be featured in a horror movie and relate to the theme of horror.
Locations- There are going to be 2 main locations in which I plan to use throughout my sequence in the local area. The locations are my house and various rooms in it such as the living room for the scenes were my mam is on the phone, the kitchen, the study and my bedroom were I plan to film the the scenes were I make notes and draw mysterious occult symbols. The other main location is the reservoir around the back of Bishop Cuthbert Estate and the woods surrounding it were I go missing and I'm seen walking through the long grass pulling notes and symbols out of my pocket and then use a knife to slice one that is stuck on a tree. This particular location is big and isolated which is a typical theme for a horror film. Both locations are easily accessible for filming purposes.
Costumes- The costumes I plan for the actors to wear are everday casual clothing such as jeans etc. However because I'll be filming outside I'll be wearing my black leather jacket with my hood up and my face can't be seen only the back of my body is seen and from the neck down to show me walking. This fits in with the theme of horror and makes it look more spooky and suspicious to the viewer.
Props- I will not need to use many props for my sequence. However the props in which I do plan to use are a knife for when I slice the symbol on the tree, a phone for when my mam phones the police to report me missing, a fake newspaper article for my mam to hold while she's on the phone to the police relating to teenagers obsessions with the occult and the number of deaths it has caused and some paper scrumpled up containing coffee stains to make it look old fashioned for when I write notes and draw symbols relating to the occult. All props are typical of would be featured in a horror movie and relate to the theme of horror.
Assessment 5 Pitch Idea
Plot Synopsis
A small town in the North East of England has been hit with a number of deaths particularly amongst teenagers and young adults. This is due to them becoming obsessed with the occult, by researching it on the internet and making disturbing notes about it and drawing peculiar symbols. Then mysteriously getting killed, about ten people die a week because of this and hundreds have been killed over the past few months. No one knows the causes of these deaths it’s surrounded in mystery.
Opening Sequence
A teenage boy goes missing after making notes about and becoming obsessed with the occult. His mother reports him missing to the police while holding the notes he made before he went missing. Some dialogue features while she is on the phone to the police and the camera keeps cutting between the mother on the phone and her son walking through the woods with narration over it and incidental music. As the son is walking through the words he pulls some notes out of his pocket and then walks up to a tree and pulls a piece of paper off with a mysterious symbol on. There’s a lot of darkness and a lot of cuts to a blank screen while cutting between the boy walking through the woods and his mother on the phone. The titles will come on the screen as the boy is walking through the long grass. Also there’s flashbacks to the boy making notes at the beginning in black and white. It ends with the son putting the symbol back on the tree and slicing through it with a knife and then it cuts to the mother dropping the phone.
Target Audience
Although my sequence is going to be an 18 certificate it will appeal to a wider target audience, people over that particular age as it is illegal for anyone younger than 18 to view an 18 rated movie. The main target audience will be the 18-35 age range as they will be able to relate to it more and have a better understanding of the youth orientated theme as the main plotline focuses on teenagers and their obsession with the occult.
Creative Techniques
The creative techniques I plan to use in my sequence are mocked up newspaper articles explaining the amount of teenage deaths that have occurred relating to the occult. A knife to slice the symbol off the tree and after this happens the camera quickly cuts to my mother dropping the phone, this adds effect to make it more mysterious and creepy which fits in well with the horror theme. The location of the woods is usually seen as a peaceful place were people take their dogs for walks and not much happens there, however in my sequence it becomes this haunted eerie place were teenagers go missing and mysteriously die. So therefore it’s a contrast compared to every day life. Other creative techniques include visual effects and the camera cutting between me walking through the woods pulling pieces of crumpled up paper out of my pocket, with coffee stains on to make it look old fashioned, so it fits in with the genre of horror, and my mother on the phone to the police reporting me missing telling them that I haven’t gone missing like this before.
A small town in the North East of England has been hit with a number of deaths particularly amongst teenagers and young adults. This is due to them becoming obsessed with the occult, by researching it on the internet and making disturbing notes about it and drawing peculiar symbols. Then mysteriously getting killed, about ten people die a week because of this and hundreds have been killed over the past few months. No one knows the causes of these deaths it’s surrounded in mystery.
Opening Sequence
A teenage boy goes missing after making notes about and becoming obsessed with the occult. His mother reports him missing to the police while holding the notes he made before he went missing. Some dialogue features while she is on the phone to the police and the camera keeps cutting between the mother on the phone and her son walking through the woods with narration over it and incidental music. As the son is walking through the words he pulls some notes out of his pocket and then walks up to a tree and pulls a piece of paper off with a mysterious symbol on. There’s a lot of darkness and a lot of cuts to a blank screen while cutting between the boy walking through the woods and his mother on the phone. The titles will come on the screen as the boy is walking through the long grass. Also there’s flashbacks to the boy making notes at the beginning in black and white. It ends with the son putting the symbol back on the tree and slicing through it with a knife and then it cuts to the mother dropping the phone.
Target Audience
Although my sequence is going to be an 18 certificate it will appeal to a wider target audience, people over that particular age as it is illegal for anyone younger than 18 to view an 18 rated movie. The main target audience will be the 18-35 age range as they will be able to relate to it more and have a better understanding of the youth orientated theme as the main plotline focuses on teenagers and their obsession with the occult.
Creative Techniques
The creative techniques I plan to use in my sequence are mocked up newspaper articles explaining the amount of teenage deaths that have occurred relating to the occult. A knife to slice the symbol off the tree and after this happens the camera quickly cuts to my mother dropping the phone, this adds effect to make it more mysterious and creepy which fits in well with the horror theme. The location of the woods is usually seen as a peaceful place were people take their dogs for walks and not much happens there, however in my sequence it becomes this haunted eerie place were teenagers go missing and mysteriously die. So therefore it’s a contrast compared to every day life. Other creative techniques include visual effects and the camera cutting between me walking through the woods pulling pieces of crumpled up paper out of my pocket, with coffee stains on to make it look old fashioned, so it fits in with the genre of horror, and my mother on the phone to the police reporting me missing telling them that I haven’t gone missing like this before.
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Assessment 3 Timeline Of Horror
1890's-1920's
Horror films began to appear in the late 1890's with silent shorts created by film pioneers such as George Melies. His most notable film being Le Manoir du diable (aka 'The House Of Devil') which was released in 1896 and is sometimes credited as being the first horror film. Another one of his horror projects was 1898's La Carverne maudite (aka 'The Cave of the Demons').
In 1910, Edison Studios produced the first film version of Frankinstein, thought lost for many years, film collector Alois Felix Dettlaff Sr. found a copy and it saw a 1993 release.
The early 20th Century saw more milestones within the horror genre including the first monster to appear in a full-length horror film.
Earlier full length horror films were created by German film makers in 1910's and 1920's. This era also produced the first vampire-themed feature, F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu (1922)
1930's-1940's
The horror film became more popular in the early 1930's by American film producers, particularly Universal Pictures Co. Inc. They brought a series of successful gothic features to the screen such as Dracula (1931) and Frankinstein (1931) some of which blended sci-fi films with gothic horror. These films were designed to thrill but also included more serious elements and were influenced by the German expressionist films of the 1920's. Some actors began to build careers in these types of films, such as Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. In 1931, Fritz Lang released his epic thriller M, which chillingly told the story of a serial killer of children played by Peter Lorre. Universal horror films continued into the 1940's with 'The Wolf Man' (1941) not the first werewolf film but certainly the most influential. During the decade Universal continued to produce more sequels in the Frankinstein series as well a number of films teaming up with their monsters. The first horror film produced by an indian film industry was Mahal a 1949, Hindi film and it was a supernatural thriller and the earliest known film dealing with the theme of reincarnation.
1950's-1960's
Advances in technology developed in the 1950's therefore the tone of the horror film shifted from being gothic to the late-Century audience. The horror film then fell into three sub-genres the horror-of-personality film, the horror-of-armageddon film and the horror-of-the-demonic film. Film makers continued to merge elements of science fiction and horror over the following decades. The most noticeable film of this era was 1957's 'The Incredible Shrinking Man' from Richard Matheson's novel. In the late 1950's and early 1960's production companies focused on producing horror films including the British company Hammer Film Productions. Hammer enjoyed huge international success from full-blooded technicolour films involving classic horror characters often starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, such as 'The Curse Of Frankinstein'(1957), 'Dracula' (1958) and 'The Mummy' (1959) and many other sequels. Hammer and director Terence Fisher are widely acknowledged as pioneers of the modern horror movie. Alfred Hitchcock's Physco (1960) had a feature-length orginal, two feature-length films, two television movies and a feature-length remake of the original. The horror has a human explanation, steeped in Freudian psycology and repressed sexual desires.
1970's-1980's
Due to the huge success of 'Rosemary's Baby' in the late 60's, more films with occult themes were released in the 1970's, such as 'The Exorist' (1973). 'Evil Children' and reincarnation became popular topics particularly in Robert Wise's 1977 film 'Audrey Rose', written by Frank De Felitta and 'Alice, Sweet Alice' (1977). In the 1970's horror author Stephen King debuted on the film scene as many of his books were adapted for the screen starting with 'Carrie' (1976), which was nominated for academy awards. John Carpenter created 'Halloween' (1978) which went on to become a successful independent film. In 1975 Steven Spielberg began his rise to fame with'Jaws'. Similar animal stories which followed include 'Orca' and 'Up From The Depths'. However 'Jaws is often credited as being one of the first films to use elements such as horror and mild gore in a big-budget Hollywood film. The 1979 film 'Alien' combined the naturalistic acting and graphic violence of the 1970's with the monster movie plots of decades gone by and used science fiction and became a landmark film for that particular genre.
The genre boomed at the start of the 1980's with Sammo Hung's 'Close Encounter's of the Spooky Kind (1981) launching the sub-genre of 'kung-fu comedy horror', a sub-genre often featuring hopping corpses and tempting ghostly females known as fox spirits with the best known examples being 'Mr Vampire' (1985) and 'A Chinese Ghost Story (1987). The 1980's were marked by the growing popularity of horror movie sequels. 1982's 'Poltergeist', which was directed by Toby Hooper, followed by two sequels and a television series. The endless sequels to 'Halloween, Friday the 13th' (1980), and Wes Craven's supernatural 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1984) were popular horror films in the 80's. 'Creepshow', spawned two sequels in 1987 and 1990 respectively, 'Creepshow 2' and 'Tales from the Darkside:The Movie' aka 'Creepshow 3' as did 'The Evil Dead' (1981). Another trend that appeared in the 80's was the infusion of blatant comedic elements most commonly 'one liners'. 'Motel Hell(1980) was one of the first 1980's films to mock the dark conventions of the previous decade. The laughs were generated by the gore, defining the archtypal splatter comedy.
1990's
During the first half of the 1990's, the genre continued the themes from the 80's. Sequels enjoying some commercial success include 'Child's Play' and 'Leprechaun. Films such as 'A Nightmare on Elm Street', 'Frday the 13th', and 'Halloween' all had sequels in the 90's. In the latter half of the 90's horror became more self-mockingly iconic and outright parodic. Wes Craven's 'Scream' movies, starting in 1996, included teenagers who were fully aware of, and often made reference to, the history of horror movies, and mixed ironic humor with the shocks. Along with 'I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and 'Urban Legend' (1998)'. Amongst the popular English-Language horror films of the late 90's, only 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999) attempted straight-ahead scares. Thr horror was accomplished in the context of a mockumentary or mock-documentary. Hideo Nakatu's 'Ringu', which is a Japanese horror film found international success with a similar formula in 1998.
2000's
At the start of the 2000's it was a quiet period for the genre. A re-release of a restored version of 'The Exorcist' in September 2000 was quite successful. A revival of 'Final Destination' (2000) spawned three sequels featuring teen-orientated humor. There was a major return to the zombie genre in horror movies made after 2000. The Resident evil video game franchise was adapted into a film in March 2002,three sequels followed. A larger trend is a return to the extreme, graphic violence that characterized much of the type of the low budget exploitation horror from the seventies and the post-Vietnam years. Films including 'Wrong Turn'
(2003), and the Austrailian film 'Wolf Creek' (2005), took their cues from 'The Last House on the Left(1972), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre(1974), and 'The Hills Have Eyes'(1977). Remakes of late 1970's horror movies became normal in the 2000's. Some of these include 'Dawn of the Dead'(2004), 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'(2003) and in 2007, Rob Zombie wrote and directed a remake of John Carpenter's 'Halloween'. Not living up to the original it was criticised by most, but was a success in its theatrical run.
Horror films began to appear in the late 1890's with silent shorts created by film pioneers such as George Melies. His most notable film being Le Manoir du diable (aka 'The House Of Devil') which was released in 1896 and is sometimes credited as being the first horror film. Another one of his horror projects was 1898's La Carverne maudite (aka 'The Cave of the Demons').
In 1910, Edison Studios produced the first film version of Frankinstein, thought lost for many years, film collector Alois Felix Dettlaff Sr. found a copy and it saw a 1993 release.
The early 20th Century saw more milestones within the horror genre including the first monster to appear in a full-length horror film.
Earlier full length horror films were created by German film makers in 1910's and 1920's. This era also produced the first vampire-themed feature, F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu (1922)
1930's-1940's
The horror film became more popular in the early 1930's by American film producers, particularly Universal Pictures Co. Inc. They brought a series of successful gothic features to the screen such as Dracula (1931) and Frankinstein (1931) some of which blended sci-fi films with gothic horror. These films were designed to thrill but also included more serious elements and were influenced by the German expressionist films of the 1920's. Some actors began to build careers in these types of films, such as Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. In 1931, Fritz Lang released his epic thriller M, which chillingly told the story of a serial killer of children played by Peter Lorre. Universal horror films continued into the 1940's with 'The Wolf Man' (1941) not the first werewolf film but certainly the most influential. During the decade Universal continued to produce more sequels in the Frankinstein series as well a number of films teaming up with their monsters. The first horror film produced by an indian film industry was Mahal a 1949, Hindi film and it was a supernatural thriller and the earliest known film dealing with the theme of reincarnation.
1950's-1960's
Advances in technology developed in the 1950's therefore the tone of the horror film shifted from being gothic to the late-Century audience. The horror film then fell into three sub-genres the horror-of-personality film, the horror-of-armageddon film and the horror-of-the-demonic film. Film makers continued to merge elements of science fiction and horror over the following decades. The most noticeable film of this era was 1957's 'The Incredible Shrinking Man' from Richard Matheson's novel. In the late 1950's and early 1960's production companies focused on producing horror films including the British company Hammer Film Productions. Hammer enjoyed huge international success from full-blooded technicolour films involving classic horror characters often starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, such as 'The Curse Of Frankinstein'(1957), 'Dracula' (1958) and 'The Mummy' (1959) and many other sequels. Hammer and director Terence Fisher are widely acknowledged as pioneers of the modern horror movie. Alfred Hitchcock's Physco (1960) had a feature-length orginal, two feature-length films, two television movies and a feature-length remake of the original. The horror has a human explanation, steeped in Freudian psycology and repressed sexual desires.
1970's-1980's
Due to the huge success of 'Rosemary's Baby' in the late 60's, more films with occult themes were released in the 1970's, such as 'The Exorist' (1973). 'Evil Children' and reincarnation became popular topics particularly in Robert Wise's 1977 film 'Audrey Rose', written by Frank De Felitta and 'Alice, Sweet Alice' (1977). In the 1970's horror author Stephen King debuted on the film scene as many of his books were adapted for the screen starting with 'Carrie' (1976), which was nominated for academy awards. John Carpenter created 'Halloween' (1978) which went on to become a successful independent film. In 1975 Steven Spielberg began his rise to fame with'Jaws'. Similar animal stories which followed include 'Orca' and 'Up From The Depths'. However 'Jaws is often credited as being one of the first films to use elements such as horror and mild gore in a big-budget Hollywood film. The 1979 film 'Alien' combined the naturalistic acting and graphic violence of the 1970's with the monster movie plots of decades gone by and used science fiction and became a landmark film for that particular genre.
The genre boomed at the start of the 1980's with Sammo Hung's 'Close Encounter's of the Spooky Kind (1981) launching the sub-genre of 'kung-fu comedy horror', a sub-genre often featuring hopping corpses and tempting ghostly females known as fox spirits with the best known examples being 'Mr Vampire' (1985) and 'A Chinese Ghost Story (1987). The 1980's were marked by the growing popularity of horror movie sequels. 1982's 'Poltergeist', which was directed by Toby Hooper, followed by two sequels and a television series. The endless sequels to 'Halloween, Friday the 13th' (1980), and Wes Craven's supernatural 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1984) were popular horror films in the 80's. 'Creepshow', spawned two sequels in 1987 and 1990 respectively, 'Creepshow 2' and 'Tales from the Darkside:The Movie' aka 'Creepshow 3' as did 'The Evil Dead' (1981). Another trend that appeared in the 80's was the infusion of blatant comedic elements most commonly 'one liners'. 'Motel Hell(1980) was one of the first 1980's films to mock the dark conventions of the previous decade. The laughs were generated by the gore, defining the archtypal splatter comedy.
1990's
During the first half of the 1990's, the genre continued the themes from the 80's. Sequels enjoying some commercial success include 'Child's Play' and 'Leprechaun. Films such as 'A Nightmare on Elm Street', 'Frday the 13th', and 'Halloween' all had sequels in the 90's. In the latter half of the 90's horror became more self-mockingly iconic and outright parodic. Wes Craven's 'Scream' movies, starting in 1996, included teenagers who were fully aware of, and often made reference to, the history of horror movies, and mixed ironic humor with the shocks. Along with 'I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and 'Urban Legend' (1998)'. Amongst the popular English-Language horror films of the late 90's, only 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999) attempted straight-ahead scares. Thr horror was accomplished in the context of a mockumentary or mock-documentary. Hideo Nakatu's 'Ringu', which is a Japanese horror film found international success with a similar formula in 1998.
2000's
At the start of the 2000's it was a quiet period for the genre. A re-release of a restored version of 'The Exorcist' in September 2000 was quite successful. A revival of 'Final Destination' (2000) spawned three sequels featuring teen-orientated humor. There was a major return to the zombie genre in horror movies made after 2000. The Resident evil video game franchise was adapted into a film in March 2002,three sequels followed. A larger trend is a return to the extreme, graphic violence that characterized much of the type of the low budget exploitation horror from the seventies and the post-Vietnam years. Films including 'Wrong Turn'
(2003), and the Austrailian film 'Wolf Creek' (2005), took their cues from 'The Last House on the Left(1972), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre(1974), and 'The Hills Have Eyes'(1977). Remakes of late 1970's horror movies became normal in the 2000's. Some of these include 'Dawn of the Dead'(2004), 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'(2003) and in 2007, Rob Zombie wrote and directed a remake of John Carpenter's 'Halloween'. Not living up to the original it was criticised by most, but was a success in its theatrical run.
Tuesday 2 February 2010
Assessment 3 BBFC Target Audience Research
I've decided that my horror opening sequence is going to be an 18 rated certificate. This is because I am 18 and an 18 rated certificate can reach a wider demographic audience as anyone over that age can view it. Also there isn't a particular age where you have to stop watching an 18 rated certificate all adults can watch them. With it being an 18 it can be more edgy, feature more violent scenes and contain the use of stronger language. It can be also a lot more thrilling and horrific and scare the audience which is the main aim of a horror film. If I wanted it to be a 15 rated fil I would be very limited to what type of content I can include. Whereas with an 18 certificate I can include what I want within the BBFC guidlines.
Sunday 31 January 2010
Assessment 3 BBFC Reasearch
Here are a couple of stills from some horror films which have helped and inspired me to make my opening sequence.
The British Board of Film Classification, often abbreviated as the 'BBFC' is an independent,non governmental body, which was set up in 1912 and has classified films ever since under the certificates of U,PG,12A,12,15 and 18. I'm going to focus on the 15 and 18 classifications as that's the typical target audience of a horror film.
A 15 certificate is suitable only for people age 15 years and older. No one younger than 15 can see a 15 film at the cinema. No one younger than 15 can buy or rent a 15 rated video work.
Discrimination- must not endorse discriminatory behaviour.
Drugs- drug taking may be shown but the film cannot promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily accessible and dangerous substances is unlikely to be acceptable.
Horror- strong threat and menace are allowed unless sadistic or sexualised.
Imitable behaviour- dangerous behaviour e.g. hanging or self-harming should not be featured in detail which could be copied and easily accessible weapons should not be glorified
Language- There may be frequent use of strong language, stronger words may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language possible is unlikely to be acceptable.
Nudity- may be allowed in a sexual context but not in strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity ion a non sexual or educational context.
Sex- sexual activity may be portrayed but not in strong detail. There could be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are not likely to be acceptable unless they are justified by context.
Theme- no theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for anyone 15 years or over.
Violence- violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. Really strong gory images are not likely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There could be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.
An 18 certificate is only suitable for adults and no one younger than 18 can see an 18 rated film at a cinema and no one under 18 can buy or rent an 18 rated video work.
In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC's public consultations and the human rights act 1998, that at '18' the BBFC will not override the principle that adults should be free to chose their own entertainment. However there are some exceptions in the following areas:
Where the material material is in breach of criminal law or has been created as a criminal offence.
If the BBFC thinks the material or treatment risks harm to individuals or through, their behaviour to society such as, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts or illegal drug use, which may cause harm or damage the health of the public or effect people's morals. This could include portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence which may eroticise or endorse sexual assault.
Where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by the context
If sex material is genuinely seeking to inform and educate in matters of human sexuality, safer sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may be permitted.
The British Board of Film Classification, often abbreviated as the 'BBFC' is an independent,non governmental body, which was set up in 1912 and has classified films ever since under the certificates of U,PG,12A,12,15 and 18. I'm going to focus on the 15 and 18 classifications as that's the typical target audience of a horror film.
A 15 certificate is suitable only for people age 15 years and older. No one younger than 15 can see a 15 film at the cinema. No one younger than 15 can buy or rent a 15 rated video work.
Discrimination- must not endorse discriminatory behaviour.
Drugs- drug taking may be shown but the film cannot promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily accessible and dangerous substances is unlikely to be acceptable.
Horror- strong threat and menace are allowed unless sadistic or sexualised.
Imitable behaviour- dangerous behaviour e.g. hanging or self-harming should not be featured in detail which could be copied and easily accessible weapons should not be glorified
Language- There may be frequent use of strong language, stronger words may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language possible is unlikely to be acceptable.
Nudity- may be allowed in a sexual context but not in strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity ion a non sexual or educational context.
Sex- sexual activity may be portrayed but not in strong detail. There could be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are not likely to be acceptable unless they are justified by context.
Theme- no theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for anyone 15 years or over.
Violence- violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. Really strong gory images are not likely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There could be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.
An 18 certificate is only suitable for adults and no one younger than 18 can see an 18 rated film at a cinema and no one under 18 can buy or rent an 18 rated video work.
In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC's public consultations and the human rights act 1998, that at '18' the BBFC will not override the principle that adults should be free to chose their own entertainment. However there are some exceptions in the following areas:
Where the material material is in breach of criminal law or has been created as a criminal offence.
If the BBFC thinks the material or treatment risks harm to individuals or through, their behaviour to society such as, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts or illegal drug use, which may cause harm or damage the health of the public or effect people's morals. This could include portrayals of sexual or sexualised violence which may eroticise or endorse sexual assault.
Where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by the context
If sex material is genuinely seeking to inform and educate in matters of human sexuality, safer sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may be permitted.
Assessment 2 Analysis of Halloween Opening Sequence
Assessment 2 Analysis of Halloween Opening Sequence
The opening sequence of Halloween starts off with an establishing shot of the house, which gives the viewer an indication of where the action is about to occur. A medium close up is also used, followed by an extreme close up of the house to make sure it’s the main focus as that’s where the events are about to unfold. As the camera moves towards the side of the house to focus on the characters through the window a tracking shot is featured. When the camera focuses on the couple through the window, a long shot is included as the audience can see the characters but can also see what is happening in the background at the same time. As the house gets closer, and also inside the house it looks like the camera is hand held, and the pace of the camera shot quickens, and for a brief time shots seem blurry. Also it seems like someone who is not professional, this is known as steadicam. Another medium close up occurs, towards the end of the clip as it appears that the young boy is the culprit for stabbing the woman. He is shown to be holding the knife and you can also see the reaction on his face.
Many different editing techniques are used throughout the clip some of them include a zoom in from the street to get closer to the house. A cut zoom when a hand is shown opening the kitchen draw to pull out a knife, presumably the weapon which is about to be used. Various visual effects are included such as the camera looking like a pair of binoculars and the viewer spying through them to see what is happening. When this occurs only a hand holding a knife and part of the woman’s body can be seen and the woman being stabbed. No identities are revealed so the viewer doesn’t see who it is. This adds to the excitement as it keeps the viewer guessing and lets them predict what is about to happen next.
The mise en scene includes low key lighting and a lot of darkness which is a typical feature of a horror film. Also the street and the house don’t look very well lit, and the house looks rather old fashioned and haunted which adds to the horrific atmosphere which is being created. At the front door and also at the side window a couple are seen kissing, they then go upstairs to bed, however after a while the man is seen mysteriously disappearing out of the front door. Almost the whole house is in darkness apart from the kitchen and the hallway and the lights that are on seem dim. The interior and décor of the house is old fashioned and out of date, also there looks like there’s a lot of dampness throughout which is typical of an old fashioned house.
Then there looks like there’s binoculars up against the camera and the viewer can’t see what is happening apart from a hand holding a knife stabbing a woman’s body and a lot of blood can be seen afterwards. After that in the street a young boy is seen holding a knife and he could well be the culprit and is presumed to be judging by the look on his face as he looks quite shocked.
The clip starts off with a prolonged silence until the camera reaches towards the side window and incidental music starts with strings, which is also called non-diagetic sound. Then diagetic sound is featured when the couple are on the sofa kissing. However the audience can’t hear exactly what is being said and it sounds like they are just laughing and generally having a good time but the viewer can see the action what is happening. The incidental music and non-diagetic return when the woman gets stabbed towards the end as the audience can hear what is happening however they can’t see it. They can only see certain body parts they can’t see identities or facial expressions but certain actions can be heard such as the woman screaming and the knife being stabbed into her countless times.
The opening sequence of Halloween starts off with an establishing shot of the house, which gives the viewer an indication of where the action is about to occur. A medium close up is also used, followed by an extreme close up of the house to make sure it’s the main focus as that’s where the events are about to unfold. As the camera moves towards the side of the house to focus on the characters through the window a tracking shot is featured. When the camera focuses on the couple through the window, a long shot is included as the audience can see the characters but can also see what is happening in the background at the same time. As the house gets closer, and also inside the house it looks like the camera is hand held, and the pace of the camera shot quickens, and for a brief time shots seem blurry. Also it seems like someone who is not professional, this is known as steadicam. Another medium close up occurs, towards the end of the clip as it appears that the young boy is the culprit for stabbing the woman. He is shown to be holding the knife and you can also see the reaction on his face.
Many different editing techniques are used throughout the clip some of them include a zoom in from the street to get closer to the house. A cut zoom when a hand is shown opening the kitchen draw to pull out a knife, presumably the weapon which is about to be used. Various visual effects are included such as the camera looking like a pair of binoculars and the viewer spying through them to see what is happening. When this occurs only a hand holding a knife and part of the woman’s body can be seen and the woman being stabbed. No identities are revealed so the viewer doesn’t see who it is. This adds to the excitement as it keeps the viewer guessing and lets them predict what is about to happen next.
The mise en scene includes low key lighting and a lot of darkness which is a typical feature of a horror film. Also the street and the house don’t look very well lit, and the house looks rather old fashioned and haunted which adds to the horrific atmosphere which is being created. At the front door and also at the side window a couple are seen kissing, they then go upstairs to bed, however after a while the man is seen mysteriously disappearing out of the front door. Almost the whole house is in darkness apart from the kitchen and the hallway and the lights that are on seem dim. The interior and décor of the house is old fashioned and out of date, also there looks like there’s a lot of dampness throughout which is typical of an old fashioned house.
Then there looks like there’s binoculars up against the camera and the viewer can’t see what is happening apart from a hand holding a knife stabbing a woman’s body and a lot of blood can be seen afterwards. After that in the street a young boy is seen holding a knife and he could well be the culprit and is presumed to be judging by the look on his face as he looks quite shocked.
The clip starts off with a prolonged silence until the camera reaches towards the side window and incidental music starts with strings, which is also called non-diagetic sound. Then diagetic sound is featured when the couple are on the sofa kissing. However the audience can’t hear exactly what is being said and it sounds like they are just laughing and generally having a good time but the viewer can see the action what is happening. The incidental music and non-diagetic return when the woman gets stabbed towards the end as the audience can hear what is happening however they can’t see it. They can only see certain body parts they can’t see identities or facial expressions but certain actions can be heard such as the woman screaming and the knife being stabbed into her countless times.
Saturday 30 January 2010
Friday 29 January 2010
Assessment 2 Halloween Title Order
Title Order
Media Home entertainment inc.
A compass international pictures release
Moustapha Akkad presents
Donald Pleasance in
John Carpenters Halloween
A Debra Hill production
Introducing Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie
Nancy Looms as Annie
and PJ Soles as Lynda
Charles Cyphers
Featuring Kyle Richards, Brian Andrews
Screenplay by John Carpenter and Debra Hill
Director of Photography, Dean Cundey
Film editors, Tommy Wallace, Charles Bornstein
Music by John Carpenter
Associate Producer, Kool Lusky, Production Manager, Don Behrns
Production designer, Tommy Wallace
Executive Producer Irwin Yablins
Produced by Debra Hill
Directed by John Carpenter
Media Home entertainment inc.
A compass international pictures release
Moustapha Akkad presents
Donald Pleasance in
John Carpenters Halloween
A Debra Hill production
Introducing Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie
Nancy Looms as Annie
and PJ Soles as Lynda
Charles Cyphers
Featuring Kyle Richards, Brian Andrews
Screenplay by John Carpenter and Debra Hill
Director of Photography, Dean Cundey
Film editors, Tommy Wallace, Charles Bornstein
Music by John Carpenter
Associate Producer, Kool Lusky, Production Manager, Don Behrns
Production designer, Tommy Wallace
Executive Producer Irwin Yablins
Produced by Debra Hill
Directed by John Carpenter
Tuesday 26 January 2010
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