Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Questionnaire to Target Audience and Evaluation Results
Questionnaire Results
Gender
Male- 14
Female- 26
Female- 26
Age
How often do you go to the cinema?
Once a month- 16
Twice a month- 10
Once a week- 2
Other- 12
Once a month- 16
Twice a month- 10
Once a week- 2
Other- 12
What genre of film do you see?
Horror- 10
Comedy- 12
Romance- 3
Sci-fi- 2
Adventure- 7
Fantasy- 1
Rom-com- 2
Action- 2
War- 1
What is your favourite genre and why?Horror- 10
Comedy- 12
Romance- 3
Sci-fi- 2
Adventure- 7
Fantasy- 1
Rom-com- 2
Action- 2
War- 1
A lot of people voted for horror films and the reason for this was because they like the thought of being scared. There were also a number of people who voted for comedy because they like being entertained and they like a laugh. Adventure films are popular as they are interesting to watch and grab the audience’s attention. However the majority of the questionnaires were from the females. This has lead us to using vulnerable female characters as it attracts female watches as they get a clearer insight and can relate to them.
Who would you go to the cinema with? Does it change what genre of film you see?
Out of the males, some went with friends, however it was common for them to go with close family members. This reflects their ages because they’re family like wives and children. Where as half of females mostly go with friends. As an overall most questionnaires said that whoever people go with has an effect of what they see.
What is your favourite horror and why?
The results show that most people have stated that they enjoy films that have an interesting solid story line, because they are not just about death or gore yet they keep the audience interested. The majority also like films that give the sense that it could really happen to you.
Because of this we plan to set the location in a block of flats to make it seem realistic,
as well as it being near a woodland area to keep it scary. We have also said not to include any blood or gory scenes as it may look tacky and amateur. Also as we have a low budget we will not have the equipment or facilities to make it look good enough.
Describe what you look for in an opening scene of a horror film and why?
There were many different views about what people look for but an idea about what the film is going to be about, but without giving too much away, was the most apparent. There was also popularity in being introduced to charters as well as the actors playing them. Background knowledge also came up a lot. In the editing scene scary music was well-liked as was flashbacks.
We have already decided that the characters will be introduced in the opening sequence and we will need to make sure that we do not give much away so that it is interesting for the audience and makes them want to continue watching. However it will be hard to introduce background knowledge as there is no previous film, so it will need to be attractive and grabbing to keep the audience attracted to it. Also the music chosen needs to be appropriate and fit well with the genre and need to have the scary, eerie scene people look for, so that they feel uneasy and conscious. as well as it being near a woodland area to keep it scary. We have also said not to include any blood or gory scenes as it may look tacky and amateur. Also as we have a low budget we will not have the equipment or facilities to make it look good enough.
Describe what you look for in an opening scene of a horror film and why?
There were many different views about what people look for but an idea about what the film is going to be about, but without giving too much away, was the most apparent. There was also popularity in being introduced to charters as well as the actors playing them. Background knowledge also came up a lot. In the editing scene scary music was well-liked as was flashbacks.
Textual Analysis of Opening Sequence from Horror Genre
'The Strangers'
The film starts with a narrator’s voice illustrating events that have happened before the start of the film and sets the scene by explaining that a couple have just left a wedding reception on February 11th 2005. His words are written in orange on a black background, slowly moving forward then fading. He then speaks of brutal event which occur in America such as violent crimes, which gives the audience a sense of what the film is about, and making it more realistic. The picture then fades into an image of a house and then out to another, moving from day to night. The tracking camera motion gives the impression of a car driving down a road. However the visual image seems out of focus in parts, such as blurred street lamps. Whilst the images are shown there is a light swishing noise which occurs with the fades as well as instruments, acting as a kind of sound bridge. This scene creates a more mysterious feel and a wanting to see where the images are leading. The audience are then taken to bright day light where there is a tracking, long/ wide shot of two boys standing at the end of a drive. As they move towards the door we see a medium-long shot, and as they enter and begin to look around there are a series of close-ups. At this point the audience are in suspense of what they are about to find. This is apparent mainly because of the non-diegetic telephone call between a police officer and Jordan (main character). The call has been made hyperbolic to emphasise what they are saying and how scared Jordan is. In the call she is giving information about what happens in the film but before it actually happens, and without giving everything away, she also seems very disturbed and panicked which shows the terror in which she has faced. The close-ups are of a record player, a ring with rose petals, a knife, and a blood splattered wall, finishing with a medium close-up of a shot gun. These images are shown with a slightly fidgety effect as if with the use of a hand held camera. All the items link to points in the film and show the audience objects which will occur and there importance. These are being shown over the phone call which ends in the line “there’s blood everywhere”, where the screen fades to black. This leaves an unexplained situation which makes the audience feel tense and want to continue watching. The title then appears with the sound bridge of the light swishing noise and then fades back to black again to start the first scene. The effect of using the end of the film at the beginning ,showing the affect of the events which are going to take place in the film make the audience want to watch the film as they must see what happens to Jordan, and why the objects have been chosen, and have been left in the manor. The opening sequence of ‘The Strangers’ gives a slight overview of what is going to happen in the film showing the danger and terror which the characters go through.
http://www.thestrangers.net/
'Saw 111'
The scene starts with a grey background with a brick effect as if like a wall. It has whit text across the middle with a dark light covering the middle of the word, which then moves to the end with a swishing noise, which gives a mysterious vibe. The writing fades in and out and is as if moving towards you. As this is happening we hear a woman’s voice say “game over” (which is a very symbolic line from the film), followed by a man screaming in pain and shouting aggressively to the woman with sentences such as, “I’m going to kill you”. The screen then fades to black to start the action. The room is dark with the only light from a torch which is pointing at an object which takes a second to come into focus. As this scene starts there is eerie music playing of an instrument which makes it intense and interesting. We are then introduced to the main character with an extreme close up of his face. As we are shown his body with a tracking movement we see he has a normal hair style, no extensive make-up and day clothing, except with blood stains. The room is only shown with the light of the torch therefore hard to identify the location, however we do see that it is secluded and remote. The scene is as if being shot with a hand held camera as it intimately follows his every movement and consists of close-ups, medium close-ups and medium shots which show the room isn’t very big as we do not cover a lot of ground. It could also show the man’s isolation. The sounds are hyperbolic with the heavy breathing, screams, yelps, fumbling, throwing of a brick onto his ankle, and the bone breaking, even the throwing of a saw, this makes it seem very realistic and excruciating for the audience to watch as you feel the pain the man is facing, and the scary and confusing atmosphere he is in. The scene then fades to black and the title slowly fades in with the swishing noise returning. At this point the audience is hooked and would want to watch more as you have a need to see what happens to the character. The opening sequence does not give too much away however you get to see a character and a tone is set for the rest of the movie.
http://www.officialsaw.com/
Time Line of tiles from 'Saw 111'
Time Lime Comparison of 'House of Wax', 'The Strangers' and 'Saw Three'
The film starts with a narrator’s voice illustrating events that have happened before the start of the film and sets the scene by explaining that a couple have just left a wedding reception on February 11th 2005. His words are written in orange on a black background, slowly moving forward then fading. He then speaks of brutal event which occur in America such as violent crimes, which gives the audience a sense of what the film is about, and making it more realistic. The picture then fades into an image of a house and then out to another, moving from day to night. The tracking camera motion gives the impression of a car driving down a road. However the visual image seems out of focus in parts, such as blurred street lamps. Whilst the images are shown there is a light swishing noise which occurs with the fades as well as instruments, acting as a kind of sound bridge. This scene creates a more mysterious feel and a wanting to see where the images are leading. The audience are then taken to bright day light where there is a tracking, long/ wide shot of two boys standing at the end of a drive. As they move towards the door we see a medium-long shot, and as they enter and begin to look around there are a series of close-ups. At this point the audience are in suspense of what they are about to find. This is apparent mainly because of the non-diegetic telephone call between a police officer and Jordan (main character). The call has been made hyperbolic to emphasise what they are saying and how scared Jordan is. In the call she is giving information about what happens in the film but before it actually happens, and without giving everything away, she also seems very disturbed and panicked which shows the terror in which she has faced. The close-ups are of a record player, a ring with rose petals, a knife, and a blood splattered wall, finishing with a medium close-up of a shot gun. These images are shown with a slightly fidgety effect as if with the use of a hand held camera. All the items link to points in the film and show the audience objects which will occur and there importance. These are being shown over the phone call which ends in the line “there’s blood everywhere”, where the screen fades to black. This leaves an unexplained situation which makes the audience feel tense and want to continue watching. The title then appears with the sound bridge of the light swishing noise and then fades back to black again to start the first scene. The effect of using the end of the film at the beginning ,showing the affect of the events which are going to take place in the film make the audience want to watch the film as they must see what happens to Jordan, and why the objects have been chosen, and have been left in the manor. The opening sequence of ‘The Strangers’ gives a slight overview of what is going to happen in the film showing the danger and terror which the characters go through.
http://www.thestrangers.net/
'Saw 111'
The scene starts with a grey background with a brick effect as if like a wall. It has whit text across the middle with a dark light covering the middle of the word, which then moves to the end with a swishing noise, which gives a mysterious vibe. The writing fades in and out and is as if moving towards you. As this is happening we hear a woman’s voice say “game over” (which is a very symbolic line from the film), followed by a man screaming in pain and shouting aggressively to the woman with sentences such as, “I’m going to kill you”. The screen then fades to black to start the action. The room is dark with the only light from a torch which is pointing at an object which takes a second to come into focus. As this scene starts there is eerie music playing of an instrument which makes it intense and interesting. We are then introduced to the main character with an extreme close up of his face. As we are shown his body with a tracking movement we see he has a normal hair style, no extensive make-up and day clothing, except with blood stains. The room is only shown with the light of the torch therefore hard to identify the location, however we do see that it is secluded and remote. The scene is as if being shot with a hand held camera as it intimately follows his every movement and consists of close-ups, medium close-ups and medium shots which show the room isn’t very big as we do not cover a lot of ground. It could also show the man’s isolation. The sounds are hyperbolic with the heavy breathing, screams, yelps, fumbling, throwing of a brick onto his ankle, and the bone breaking, even the throwing of a saw, this makes it seem very realistic and excruciating for the audience to watch as you feel the pain the man is facing, and the scary and confusing atmosphere he is in. The scene then fades to black and the title slowly fades in with the swishing noise returning. At this point the audience is hooked and would want to watch more as you have a need to see what happens to the character. The opening sequence does not give too much away however you get to see a character and a tone is set for the rest of the movie.
http://www.officialsaw.com/
Time Line of tiles from 'Saw 111'
Time Lime Comparison of 'House of Wax', 'The Strangers' and 'Saw Three'
From viewing opening sequences from other films in the horror genre we have decided that the titles we are going to use are the production company name, the associate, the composer and the title of the film. This is because all the films contained similar titles for example placing the title of the film at the end of the sequence as that is how the comparisons were. We have chosen to use a black a screen for the background as we preferred this look, and is the same style as most of the horror sequence’s we have looked at. We have chosen to hold the titles for four seconds, other than the main title of six seconds, because our opening is shorter than the films so cannot be held for a really long period of time. The title is held for longer as we decided it to be the most important for the viewer the read and remember. All the titles will fade in and out as this is a popular pattern for horror films as it seems more mysterious.
Recent films from Horror Genre
This section covers a few films from the horror genre which were successful.
The Phantom of the Opera is a 2004 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical of the same name. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film was also produced and co-written by Lloyd Webber. The story follows a soprano, Christine Daaé, who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius known as "The Phantom of the Opera".
Studio- Really Useful Films
Joel Schumacher Productions
Odyssey Entertainment
Scion Films
Distributed- Warner Bros.
Budget- $70 million
Gross Revenue- $158.23 million
Based on 163 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, 33% of the critics enjoyed The Phantom of the Opera, with an average score of 5/10. "The music of the night has hit something of a sour note: Critics are calling the screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s popular musical histrionic, boring, and lacking in both romance and danger," the consensus read. "Still, some have praised the film for its sheer spectacle."
Opening Sequence
The film begins in 1919, where the dilapidated Paris Opera house holds an auction in selling pieces. Raoul the Vicomte de Chagny (Patrick Wilson), now an old wheelchair-bound man, purchases a coveted music box. During the auction, Raoul spots a familiar figure: Madame Giry (Miranda Richardson), whom he met as a young man. Madame Giry is now an old woman, almost 50 years later. But he is distracted for the next piece, a broken chandelier now restored and electrically wired known as Lot 666. As the auctioneers display the restored chandelier, the opening crescendo of music wipes away the years of decay from the opera house as the black and white turns into color, and the audience is transported back in time to 1870, the beginning of the story, when the opera was in its prime.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(2004_film)
The Phantom of the Opera is very different from the horror sequence we are going to make. As it has musical elements it breaks it away from the horror genre making it unique. Because of the musical production it also had an already made audience which ours obviously does not. However what we can take away form this film is that is shows how important music can be, and will influence us when choosing music.
Saw is a 2004 horror film directed by James Wan and starring Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, and Danny Glover. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannel and James Wan, is based on the short film of the same name. It is the first installment of the Saw film series. The film's story revolves around two men who awaken kidnapped and chained in a dilapidated industrial bathroom. They are given instructions via a micro cassette recorder on how to escape by following the "rules" of their "game". Meanwhile, police detectives investigate and attempt to apprehend the criminal responsible — "Jigsaw".
Studio- Twisted Pictures
Evolution Entertainment
Saw Productions
Distributed- Lions Gate
Budget- $1,200,000 (estimated)
Gross revenue- $103,096,345
Critical responses varied. Some critics denounced the whole movie as nothing more than a "sadist gore fest" and a "low quality" and "cheap snuff film", while others commended its stylish visual tricks designed to camouflage cheap effects and called it a true "chilling" and "terrifying" horror film. Despite mixed reviews, Saw was a financial success at the box office.
Opening Sequence
Adam (Leigh Whannell), a photographer, and Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes), a doctor, awaken at opposite ends of a grimy, disused bathroom, Adam in a water-filled bathtub. Both men are chained at the ankle to the pipes. Between them lies a corpse holding a revolver and a micro cassette recorder. Adam and Lawrence discover tapes in their pockets; the men learn from both tapes that Adam must escape the bathroom, while Lawrence must kill Adam before six o'clock, or he'll lose his wife and daughter and be left to die. They find a bag containing two hacksaws, though neither is able to cut through the chains. Adam breaks his and throws it at a mirror in frustration; Lawrence realizes that they are meant to be used on their feet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saw_(movie)
Saw again is very different to our sequence and in some parts is the complete opposite. For example Saw throws the scene straight into the narrative which contradicts ours as we want to set up the drama first. Saw combines genre's to make it into a detective puzzle to make it more interesting. This was a thought we had at the beginning but decided against because we did not want to have to create gory scenes in our opening sequence as it would look tacky with the lack of funds and equipment we poses. This is again the opposite as Saw contains very gory elements.
Mirrors is a 2008 horror film directed by Alexandre Aja, and stars Kiefer Sutherland. The film was first titled Into the Mirror, but the name was later changed to Mirrors. Filming began on May 1, 2007, and it was released in American theaters on August 15, 2008.
Studio- Regency Enterprises
New Regency
Distributed- 20th Century Fox
Budget- $35,000,000
Gross Revenue- $72,436,439
The film received generally negative reviews. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 13% of critics gave the film positive reviews based on 67 reviews. Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 35 out of 100, based on 13 reviews.
Opening Sequence
The movie begins with an terrified man running across an subway platform. He ends up in an locker room, and all of the locker doors swing open. Each door has an mirror on the inside, and each stops once the mirrors are facing him. To his horror, the room's larger wall mirror begins to crack as he approaches it. He desperately apologizes to his reflection therein for running away, asking for forgiveness, he begins fervently cleaning it, and an piece of the fractured mirror falls off. He notices his reflection begins acting of its own accord as it picks up the shard of broken mirror and then slowly slashing its own throat. As the man experiences the effects of this, his throat slices open, blood erupting from the wound, despite him not doing it to himself. He collapses and dies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirrors_(film)#Box_office
Mirrors is also different as it has a more complicated theme. Like 'Saw' it throws you straight into the narrative where the audience sees immediately the twisted way in which the film is written. It is presented as a detective story, truly making you think, and confusing at times. The film's protagonist is played by well known actor Kiefer Sutherland, so the film gets the advantage with the audience filled with his fans, which our film cannot compete with. However to our advantage the reviews on this film were mainly negative so we don't think this type of story will be appropriate, so will take another rout into the horror theme.
The horror film genre is very popular with a number of different ages and has a definite market appreciation. Especially with the teenage group as they just love to get scared and push their anxiety to the limit. As the genre has been around for so many years and the films are still pouring out, we can see that it is an ongoing type of movie which is going to continue striving forward with twisted imaginations and load screams making you to scared to sleep. And although many horror films initially get negative reviews the films are still watched and loved by thousands of individuals as they cater for a number of people.
The Phantom of the Opera is a 2004 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical of the same name. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film was also produced and co-written by Lloyd Webber. The story follows a soprano, Christine Daaé, who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius known as "The Phantom of the Opera".
Studio- Really Useful Films
Joel Schumacher Productions
Odyssey Entertainment
Scion Films
Distributed- Warner Bros.
Budget- $70 million
Gross Revenue- $158.23 million
Based on 163 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, 33% of the critics enjoyed The Phantom of the Opera, with an average score of 5/10. "The music of the night has hit something of a sour note: Critics are calling the screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s popular musical histrionic, boring, and lacking in both romance and danger," the consensus read. "Still, some have praised the film for its sheer spectacle."
Opening Sequence
The film begins in 1919, where the dilapidated Paris Opera house holds an auction in selling pieces. Raoul the Vicomte de Chagny (Patrick Wilson), now an old wheelchair-bound man, purchases a coveted music box. During the auction, Raoul spots a familiar figure: Madame Giry (Miranda Richardson), whom he met as a young man. Madame Giry is now an old woman, almost 50 years later. But he is distracted for the next piece, a broken chandelier now restored and electrically wired known as Lot 666. As the auctioneers display the restored chandelier, the opening crescendo of music wipes away the years of decay from the opera house as the black and white turns into color, and the audience is transported back in time to 1870, the beginning of the story, when the opera was in its prime.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(2004_film)
The Phantom of the Opera is very different from the horror sequence we are going to make. As it has musical elements it breaks it away from the horror genre making it unique. Because of the musical production it also had an already made audience which ours obviously does not. However what we can take away form this film is that is shows how important music can be, and will influence us when choosing music.
Saw is a 2004 horror film directed by James Wan and starring Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, and Danny Glover. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannel and James Wan, is based on the short film of the same name. It is the first installment of the Saw film series. The film's story revolves around two men who awaken kidnapped and chained in a dilapidated industrial bathroom. They are given instructions via a micro cassette recorder on how to escape by following the "rules" of their "game". Meanwhile, police detectives investigate and attempt to apprehend the criminal responsible — "Jigsaw".
Studio- Twisted Pictures
Evolution Entertainment
Saw Productions
Distributed- Lions Gate
Budget- $1,200,000 (estimated)
Gross revenue- $103,096,345
Critical responses varied. Some critics denounced the whole movie as nothing more than a "sadist gore fest" and a "low quality" and "cheap snuff film", while others commended its stylish visual tricks designed to camouflage cheap effects and called it a true "chilling" and "terrifying" horror film. Despite mixed reviews, Saw was a financial success at the box office.
Opening Sequence
Adam (Leigh Whannell), a photographer, and Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes), a doctor, awaken at opposite ends of a grimy, disused bathroom, Adam in a water-filled bathtub. Both men are chained at the ankle to the pipes. Between them lies a corpse holding a revolver and a micro cassette recorder. Adam and Lawrence discover tapes in their pockets; the men learn from both tapes that Adam must escape the bathroom, while Lawrence must kill Adam before six o'clock, or he'll lose his wife and daughter and be left to die. They find a bag containing two hacksaws, though neither is able to cut through the chains. Adam breaks his and throws it at a mirror in frustration; Lawrence realizes that they are meant to be used on their feet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saw_(movie)
Saw again is very different to our sequence and in some parts is the complete opposite. For example Saw throws the scene straight into the narrative which contradicts ours as we want to set up the drama first. Saw combines genre's to make it into a detective puzzle to make it more interesting. This was a thought we had at the beginning but decided against because we did not want to have to create gory scenes in our opening sequence as it would look tacky with the lack of funds and equipment we poses. This is again the opposite as Saw contains very gory elements.
Mirrors is a 2008 horror film directed by Alexandre Aja, and stars Kiefer Sutherland. The film was first titled Into the Mirror, but the name was later changed to Mirrors. Filming began on May 1, 2007, and it was released in American theaters on August 15, 2008.
Studio- Regency Enterprises
New Regency
Distributed- 20th Century Fox
Budget- $35,000,000
Gross Revenue- $72,436,439
The film received generally negative reviews. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 13% of critics gave the film positive reviews based on 67 reviews. Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 35 out of 100, based on 13 reviews.
Opening Sequence
The movie begins with an terrified man running across an subway platform. He ends up in an locker room, and all of the locker doors swing open. Each door has an mirror on the inside, and each stops once the mirrors are facing him. To his horror, the room's larger wall mirror begins to crack as he approaches it. He desperately apologizes to his reflection therein for running away, asking for forgiveness, he begins fervently cleaning it, and an piece of the fractured mirror falls off. He notices his reflection begins acting of its own accord as it picks up the shard of broken mirror and then slowly slashing its own throat. As the man experiences the effects of this, his throat slices open, blood erupting from the wound, despite him not doing it to himself. He collapses and dies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirrors_(film)#Box_office
Mirrors is also different as it has a more complicated theme. Like 'Saw' it throws you straight into the narrative where the audience sees immediately the twisted way in which the film is written. It is presented as a detective story, truly making you think, and confusing at times. The film's protagonist is played by well known actor Kiefer Sutherland, so the film gets the advantage with the audience filled with his fans, which our film cannot compete with. However to our advantage the reviews on this film were mainly negative so we don't think this type of story will be appropriate, so will take another rout into the horror theme.
The horror film genre is very popular with a number of different ages and has a definite market appreciation. Especially with the teenage group as they just love to get scared and push their anxiety to the limit. As the genre has been around for so many years and the films are still pouring out, we can see that it is an ongoing type of movie which is going to continue striving forward with twisted imaginations and load screams making you to scared to sleep. And although many horror films initially get negative reviews the films are still watched and loved by thousands of individuals as they cater for a number of people.
History of Horror Genre
Horror Films
Horror films are movies that strive to elicit the emotions of fear, horror and terror from viewers. Their plots frequently involve themes of death, the supernatural or mental illness. Many horror movies also include a central villain.
Early horror movies are largely based on classic literature of the Gothic/horror genre, such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
More recent horror films, in contrast, often draw inspiration from the insecurities of life after World War II, giving rise to the three distinct, but related, sub-genres: the horror-of-personality Psycho film, the horror-of-armageddon Invasion of the Body Snatchers film, and the horror-of-the-demonic The Exorcist film.
The last sub-genre may be seen as a modernized transition from the earliest horror films, expanding on their emphasis on supernatural agents that bring horror to the world.
Horror films have been dismissed as violent, low budget B movies and exploitation films. Nonetheless, all the major studios and many respected directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, Roman Polanski, Stanley Kubrick, John Carpenter, William Friedkin, Richard Donner, and Francis Ford Coppola have made forays into the genre. Serious critics have analyzed horror films through the prisms of genre theory and the auteur theory. Some horror films incorporate elements of other genres such as science fiction, fantasy, documentary, black comedy, and thrillers.
The firsts depictions of supernatural events appear in several of the silent shorts created by film pioneers such as Georges Méliès in the late 1890s, the most notable being his 1896 Le Manoir du diable (aka "The House of the Devil") which is sometimes credited as being the first horror film. Japan made early forays into the horror genre with Bake Jizo and Shinin no Sosei, both made in 1898. In 1910, Edison Studios produced the first film version of Frankenstein, thought lost for many years, film collector Alois Felix Dettlaff Sr. found a copy and had a 1993 re release.
The early 20th century brought more milestones for the horror genre including the first monster to appear in a full-length horror film, Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre-Dame.
Many of the earliest feature length 'horror films' were created by German film makers in 1910s and 1920s, during the era of German Expressionist films (A German style using symbolism and mise en scène to add mood and deeper meaning to a movie, concentrating on the dark fringes of human experience). Many of these films would significantly influence later Hollywood films.
It was in the early 1930s that American film producers, particularly Universal Pictures Co. Inc., popularized the horror film, bringing to the screen a series of successful Gothic features including Dracula (1931) and Frankenstein (1931), some of which blended science fiction films with Gothic horror.
With advances in technology that occurred in the 1950s, the tone of horror films shifted from the gothic toward concerns that some saw as being more relevant to the late-Century audience. The horror film was seen to fall into three sub-genres:
Horror-of-personality film- Each narrative will either document an unbalanced person's descent into madness, or else follow somebody on the trail of a murderous psychopath. The settings are often deceptively ordinary, such as cheerful suburban homes or shabby hotels. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror-of-personality
Horror-of-the-demonic film- The idea of vengeance, the corruption of innocence, mystic phenomena, especially possession, and the emphasis on Christian symbology. Usually film dealing with the undead or the supernatural would fit into this category. This includes horror films where the antagonist is a vampire, or a ghost, or a zombie, or a werewolf, or even an alien.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror-of-demonic
http://www.horror-fiction.info/demonic-horror-movie.html
Horror-of-armageddon film
A stream of low-budget productions featured humanity overcoming threats from "outside": alien invasions and deadly mutations to people, plants, and insects, most notably in films imported from Japan, whose society had first-hand knowledge of the effects of nuclear radiation. In some cases, when Hollywood co-opted the popularity of the horror film, the directors and producers found ample opportunity for audience exploitation, with gimmicks such as 3-D and "Percepto"
With the end of the Production Code of America in 1964, and the financial successes of the low-budget gore films of the ensuing years, the 1970s started referencing the occult, occultism; the genre also included gory horror movies with sexual overtones, made as "A-movies" (as opposed to "B movies" exploitation films and grindhouse cinema). Some of these films were made by respected auteurs.
In the first half of the 1990s, the genre continued many of the themes from the 1980s. Sequels from the Child's Play and Leprechaun series enjoyed some commercial success. The slasher films A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Halloween all saw sequels in the 1990s, most of which met with varied amounts of success at the box office, but all were panned by fans and critics, with the exception of Wes Craven's New Nightmare.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_film#1990s-2000s
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920) horror silent film based upon Robert Louis Stevenson's novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and starring actor John Barrymore.
The film was directed by John S. Robertson and co-starred Nita Naldi, and is now in the Public Domain. This story of split personality, has Dr. Jekyll a kind and charitable man who believes that everyone has two sides, one good and one evil. Using a potion, his personalities are split, creating havoc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Jekyll_and_Mr._Hyde_(1920_film)
Frankenstein (1931) horror film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and very loosely based on the novel of the same name by Mary Shelley as well as the play adapted from it by Peggy Webling. The film stars Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles and Boris Karloff, and features Dwight Frye and Edward van Sloan. The story of Henry Frankenstein, and obsessed scientist, who tries to discover a way to make the dead walk. He succeeds and creates a monster with parts from exhumed corpses who has to deal with living again.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein_(1931_film)
Horror films are movies that strive to elicit the emotions of fear, horror and terror from viewers. Their plots frequently involve themes of death, the supernatural or mental illness. Many horror movies also include a central villain.
Early horror movies are largely based on classic literature of the Gothic/horror genre, such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
More recent horror films, in contrast, often draw inspiration from the insecurities of life after World War II, giving rise to the three distinct, but related, sub-genres: the horror-of-personality Psycho film, the horror-of-armageddon Invasion of the Body Snatchers film, and the horror-of-the-demonic The Exorcist film.
The last sub-genre may be seen as a modernized transition from the earliest horror films, expanding on their emphasis on supernatural agents that bring horror to the world.
Horror films have been dismissed as violent, low budget B movies and exploitation films. Nonetheless, all the major studios and many respected directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, Roman Polanski, Stanley Kubrick, John Carpenter, William Friedkin, Richard Donner, and Francis Ford Coppola have made forays into the genre. Serious critics have analyzed horror films through the prisms of genre theory and the auteur theory. Some horror films incorporate elements of other genres such as science fiction, fantasy, documentary, black comedy, and thrillers.
The firsts depictions of supernatural events appear in several of the silent shorts created by film pioneers such as Georges Méliès in the late 1890s, the most notable being his 1896 Le Manoir du diable (aka "The House of the Devil") which is sometimes credited as being the first horror film. Japan made early forays into the horror genre with Bake Jizo and Shinin no Sosei, both made in 1898. In 1910, Edison Studios produced the first film version of Frankenstein, thought lost for many years, film collector Alois Felix Dettlaff Sr. found a copy and had a 1993 re release.
The early 20th century brought more milestones for the horror genre including the first monster to appear in a full-length horror film, Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre-Dame.
Many of the earliest feature length 'horror films' were created by German film makers in 1910s and 1920s, during the era of German Expressionist films (A German style using symbolism and mise en scène to add mood and deeper meaning to a movie, concentrating on the dark fringes of human experience). Many of these films would significantly influence later Hollywood films.
It was in the early 1930s that American film producers, particularly Universal Pictures Co. Inc., popularized the horror film, bringing to the screen a series of successful Gothic features including Dracula (1931) and Frankenstein (1931), some of which blended science fiction films with Gothic horror.
With advances in technology that occurred in the 1950s, the tone of horror films shifted from the gothic toward concerns that some saw as being more relevant to the late-Century audience. The horror film was seen to fall into three sub-genres:
Horror-of-personality film- Each narrative will either document an unbalanced person's descent into madness, or else follow somebody on the trail of a murderous psychopath. The settings are often deceptively ordinary, such as cheerful suburban homes or shabby hotels. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror-of-personality
Horror-of-the-demonic film- The idea of vengeance, the corruption of innocence, mystic phenomena, especially possession, and the emphasis on Christian symbology. Usually film dealing with the undead or the supernatural would fit into this category. This includes horror films where the antagonist is a vampire, or a ghost, or a zombie, or a werewolf, or even an alien.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror-of-demonic
http://www.horror-fiction.info/demonic-horror-movie.html
Horror-of-armageddon film
A stream of low-budget productions featured humanity overcoming threats from "outside": alien invasions and deadly mutations to people, plants, and insects, most notably in films imported from Japan, whose society had first-hand knowledge of the effects of nuclear radiation. In some cases, when Hollywood co-opted the popularity of the horror film, the directors and producers found ample opportunity for audience exploitation, with gimmicks such as 3-D and "Percepto"
With the end of the Production Code of America in 1964, and the financial successes of the low-budget gore films of the ensuing years, the 1970s started referencing the occult, occultism; the genre also included gory horror movies with sexual overtones, made as "A-movies" (as opposed to "B movies" exploitation films and grindhouse cinema). Some of these films were made by respected auteurs.
In the first half of the 1990s, the genre continued many of the themes from the 1980s. Sequels from the Child's Play and Leprechaun series enjoyed some commercial success. The slasher films A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Halloween all saw sequels in the 1990s, most of which met with varied amounts of success at the box office, but all were panned by fans and critics, with the exception of Wes Craven's New Nightmare.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_film#1990s-2000s
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920) horror silent film based upon Robert Louis Stevenson's novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and starring actor John Barrymore.
The film was directed by John S. Robertson and co-starred Nita Naldi, and is now in the Public Domain. This story of split personality, has Dr. Jekyll a kind and charitable man who believes that everyone has two sides, one good and one evil. Using a potion, his personalities are split, creating havoc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Jekyll_and_Mr._Hyde_(1920_film)
Frankenstein (1931) horror film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and very loosely based on the novel of the same name by Mary Shelley as well as the play adapted from it by Peggy Webling. The film stars Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles and Boris Karloff, and features Dwight Frye and Edward van Sloan. The story of Henry Frankenstein, and obsessed scientist, who tries to discover a way to make the dead walk. He succeeds and creates a monster with parts from exhumed corpses who has to deal with living again.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein_(1931_film)
Group Meeting One
Group Discussion
Parts we needed to discuss and decide to begin:
Genre or hybrid genres
Plot outline for whole film
Description of the opening sequence- 2minutes
Location
Main characters- protagonist
Situation that has changed
Narrative Enigma
We started by listing a number of genres we would be interested in:
Comedy
Romance
Musical
Horror
Thriller
Sci-fi
Adventure
Action
Western
War
Fantasy
Rom-com
We chose horror as it is a genre in which we all enjoy and would be interested in working on, also the fact we have watch many will help us decided what looks good and what does not work. We went into more detail and decided that is should not contain blood as that would not look realistic and that is not the look we are going for as we want the audience to feel as if it could happen to them. As we believe the more realistic the more believable. Then we started to think of horror films which we thought worked well, and came up with ‘The Strangers’. From this we decided to use the theme of torment and terrorising rather than murders and full on action straight away as this will give a bigger impact over the audience. We thought that strange events occurring would build the scary atmosphere such as mysterious bangs, screams, door bell rings and phone calls. As well as the appearance of villain, especially as this worked very well in the 2008 horror as it made the audience on edge and jumpy. Fade outs and flashbacks would also help tell the story as they could go back in time to show past events plus move location and scenes such as introducing the credits.
We then moved on to decide the basic outline of the plot and came up with:
Three girls moving into a new flat from out of town where many horrific/ strange occurrences have appeared frequently, such as a girl being found dead on a stairwell in an extremely messed up way. They are warned of this but choose to continue, when they find that the past incidents are about to repeat themselves.
We then wrote the plot for our opening sequence in more detail:
Three girls are moving into a new flat, whilst they are walking in with all the boxes, a strange man is watching them- they don’t realise. When they get inside, they celebrate the move and listen to music. (Superimposed image of a man running towards a girl standing at the window) One of the girls walks back down the stairs to collect another box, she sees an old lady and she stops and talks to her about the flat that the girls are moving in to. The lady seems worried and makes a quick exit. The girl is left wondering. (At this point we will see superimposed image of the man standing over a girl at the bottom of the stairs) Back in the flat, the other two girls are still celebrating, one looks outside to see a man looking up at her, she alarms the other girl and they ignore him. The one who was by herself walks back into the flat to find the door left ajar, and the other two girls not there. She starts to worry and rings the two girls to find that they are not answering, it goes to answer machine. She hears the doorbell go and is reluctant to open it. When she does, it is the other two girls at the door then the door closes and the titles come up on a black screen.
Parts we needed to discuss and decide to begin:
Genre or hybrid genres
Plot outline for whole film
Description of the opening sequence- 2minutes
Location
Main characters- protagonist
Situation that has changed
Narrative Enigma
We started by listing a number of genres we would be interested in:
Comedy
Romance
Musical
Horror
Thriller
Sci-fi
Adventure
Action
Western
War
Fantasy
Rom-com
We chose horror as it is a genre in which we all enjoy and would be interested in working on, also the fact we have watch many will help us decided what looks good and what does not work. We went into more detail and decided that is should not contain blood as that would not look realistic and that is not the look we are going for as we want the audience to feel as if it could happen to them. As we believe the more realistic the more believable. Then we started to think of horror films which we thought worked well, and came up with ‘The Strangers’. From this we decided to use the theme of torment and terrorising rather than murders and full on action straight away as this will give a bigger impact over the audience. We thought that strange events occurring would build the scary atmosphere such as mysterious bangs, screams, door bell rings and phone calls. As well as the appearance of villain, especially as this worked very well in the 2008 horror as it made the audience on edge and jumpy. Fade outs and flashbacks would also help tell the story as they could go back in time to show past events plus move location and scenes such as introducing the credits.
We then moved on to decide the basic outline of the plot and came up with:
Three girls moving into a new flat from out of town where many horrific/ strange occurrences have appeared frequently, such as a girl being found dead on a stairwell in an extremely messed up way. They are warned of this but choose to continue, when they find that the past incidents are about to repeat themselves.
We then wrote the plot for our opening sequence in more detail:
Three girls are moving into a new flat, whilst they are walking in with all the boxes, a strange man is watching them- they don’t realise. When they get inside, they celebrate the move and listen to music. (Superimposed image of a man running towards a girl standing at the window) One of the girls walks back down the stairs to collect another box, she sees an old lady and she stops and talks to her about the flat that the girls are moving in to. The lady seems worried and makes a quick exit. The girl is left wondering. (At this point we will see superimposed image of the man standing over a girl at the bottom of the stairs) Back in the flat, the other two girls are still celebrating, one looks outside to see a man looking up at her, she alarms the other girl and they ignore him. The one who was by herself walks back into the flat to find the door left ajar, and the other two girls not there. She starts to worry and rings the two girls to find that they are not answering, it goes to answer machine. She hears the doorbell go and is reluctant to open it. When she does, it is the other two girls at the door then the door closes and the titles come up on a black screen.
Conventions of an Opening Sequence
Conventions of an opening sequence
There are different aspects which make up an opening sequence, such as codes you would expect:
Visual
Auditory
Written
These have different branches which make up each category:
Title/ credits- Crew details, Actors name etc.
Plot- an idea of what the film is about
Characters- Protagonist (person setting the scene)
Location- where it is taking place, could be established though iconic monuments, flags, road sign or even yellow cabs.
To create an opening an opening sequence Micro and Macro elements are introduced.
Micro- Analyse what makes up the film...
Camera
Sound
Lighting
Mise-en-scene
Editing- special effects
Macro- Builds up meanings from the information portrayed at the micro level...
Representation: Event
Location/ place
Person Character
Camera elements
· Shot sizes (Establishing)
· Framing (rule of thirds)
Focus- the depth of a field area that is in focus at any one time.
Pulling focus (drawing audience attention to an object)
· Angle of shot- Low angle= Big/ powerful
High angle= Small/ insignificant
· Movement- Tracking, Panning, Tilting, Jibing
· Hand held
· Zoom
There are more advanced way of moving the camera, for example:
Dolly- The camera can move in many different ways/ directions.
Hitchcock zoom- Tilting in, but zooming out.
Crane- Camera placed on a crane from a height. (Usually identified by a scooping shot- high to low).
Steadicam- a very steady hand held movement.
Sound elements
· Diegetic- Character can hear the sound
· Non- diegetic- Character cannot hear the sound
Sound track
Orchestral score
Genre
· Synchronous- in sync/ time
· Asynchronous- out of time (mouth moves differently from sound)
Sound effects:
Sound motif- able to recognise a character through sound
Sound bridge- changes the scene/ location
Voice over- mode of address, usually the narrator
Hyperbolic sound- enhance/ increase the sound
Describing sound- Dynamic
Tempo
Pitch
Lighting elements
Three Point Lighting-
Key Light- This is the main light. It is usually the strongest and has the most influence on the look of the scene. It is placed to one side of the camera/subject so that this side is well lit and the other side has some shadow.
Fill Light- This is the secondary light and is placed on the opposite side of the key light. It is used to fill the shadows created by the key. The fill will usually be softer and less bright than the key. To achieve this, you could move the light further away or use some spun. You might also want to set the fill light to more of a flood than the key.
Back Light- The back light is placed behind the subject and lights it from the rear. Rather than providing direct lighting (like the key and fill), its purpose is to provide definition and subtle highlights around the subject's outlines. This helps separate the subject from the background and provide a three-dimensional look.
Mise-en-scene elements
Lighting- Meaning of characters
Create atmosphere
Natural or artificial
Day or night
Costume- representation of a character
Time period
Props- incorporated objects in a scene which may need to be used, or are there for decoration to make a set look more realistic.
Set design- what the location is meant to look like, for example a cafe or a stage.
Make-up and hair- create a character
Character movement- body posture
facial expression
the mood of the character changes how they move, e.g. angry, stomp feet
Editing elements
Continuity and non- continuity
Transitions of images and sound
- Fade in/ fade out (white- flashback, unconscious. Black- end, new scene)
- Dissolve
- Superimpose- layer images (one image over another which is not 100% there)
- Slow motion
- Ellipsis and expansion of time
Cutting- getting from one shot to the next
Shot reverse shot
Eye line match
Match-on-action
Jump cut (physically moves the camera in)
Parallel editing (cutting between two narratives in the same time period)
Cut away
Visual effects
Example of an opening sequence from two films...
‘This is England’
As the film is set back in the 1980’s but realised in 2006 they needed to make the opening credits fit in with the time period. To do this Chris Wyatt (editing director) used short clips or images of different pieces of footage associated with England and the time period, for instance flags, war and fighting as it was the time of the Falkland’s war. Because of this the audience were able to establish the location, however not the characters as they do not appear (although this does not seem a major concern). Whilst the visual scenes were being shown a song was played throughout, this gave a non- diegetic approach so that the audience would focus on the pictures. However the soundtrack chosen is ironic to the film as it is meant to be promoting England, especially white national groups such as the National Front. Yet at the same time links as the film also illustrates the skinhead subculture, whose roots are associated with Jamaican culture, (especially ska, rocksteady, and reggae music). However during the film a major sense of racism is shown which makes the music chosen ironic in some ways as White’s are discriminating against Blacks yet are listening to their original music. The sequence helps create the narrative as it gives the viewer an idea of what is going to occur in the film but at the same time not giving too much away, making the audience want to continue watching.
http://www.thisisenglandmovie.co.uk/#
‘Lord of the Rings, the fellowship of the rings’
The opening for ‘Lord of the Rings’ is very different from ‘This is England’ as it sets the scene for the film by starting with the stories past occurrences which lead to the present day.
There are different aspects which make up an opening sequence, such as codes you would expect:
Visual
Auditory
Written
These have different branches which make up each category:
Title/ credits- Crew details, Actors name etc.
Plot- an idea of what the film is about
Characters- Protagonist (person setting the scene)
Location- where it is taking place, could be established though iconic monuments, flags, road sign or even yellow cabs.
To create an opening an opening sequence Micro and Macro elements are introduced.
Micro- Analyse what makes up the film...
Camera
Sound
Lighting
Mise-en-scene
Editing- special effects
Macro- Builds up meanings from the information portrayed at the micro level...
Representation: Event
Location/ place
Person Character
Camera elements
· Shot sizes (Establishing)
· Framing (rule of thirds)
Focus- the depth of a field area that is in focus at any one time.
Pulling focus (drawing audience attention to an object)
· Angle of shot- Low angle= Big/ powerful
High angle= Small/ insignificant
· Movement- Tracking, Panning, Tilting, Jibing
· Hand held
· Zoom
There are more advanced way of moving the camera, for example:
Dolly- The camera can move in many different ways/ directions.
Hitchcock zoom- Tilting in, but zooming out.
Crane- Camera placed on a crane from a height. (Usually identified by a scooping shot- high to low).
Steadicam- a very steady hand held movement.
Sound elements
· Diegetic- Character can hear the sound
· Non- diegetic- Character cannot hear the sound
Sound track
Orchestral score
Genre
· Synchronous- in sync/ time
· Asynchronous- out of time (mouth moves differently from sound)
Sound effects:
Sound motif- able to recognise a character through sound
Sound bridge- changes the scene/ location
Voice over- mode of address, usually the narrator
Hyperbolic sound- enhance/ increase the sound
Describing sound- Dynamic
Tempo
Pitch
Lighting elements
Three Point Lighting-
Key Light- This is the main light. It is usually the strongest and has the most influence on the look of the scene. It is placed to one side of the camera/subject so that this side is well lit and the other side has some shadow.
Fill Light- This is the secondary light and is placed on the opposite side of the key light. It is used to fill the shadows created by the key. The fill will usually be softer and less bright than the key. To achieve this, you could move the light further away or use some spun. You might also want to set the fill light to more of a flood than the key.
Back Light- The back light is placed behind the subject and lights it from the rear. Rather than providing direct lighting (like the key and fill), its purpose is to provide definition and subtle highlights around the subject's outlines. This helps separate the subject from the background and provide a three-dimensional look.
Mise-en-scene elements
Lighting- Meaning of characters
Create atmosphere
Natural or artificial
Day or night
Costume- representation of a character
Time period
Props- incorporated objects in a scene which may need to be used, or are there for decoration to make a set look more realistic.
Set design- what the location is meant to look like, for example a cafe or a stage.
Make-up and hair- create a character
Character movement- body posture
facial expression
the mood of the character changes how they move, e.g. angry, stomp feet
Editing elements
Continuity and non- continuity
Transitions of images and sound
- Fade in/ fade out (white- flashback, unconscious. Black- end, new scene)
- Dissolve
- Superimpose- layer images (one image over another which is not 100% there)
- Slow motion
- Ellipsis and expansion of time
Cutting- getting from one shot to the next
Shot reverse shot
Eye line match
Match-on-action
Jump cut (physically moves the camera in)
Parallel editing (cutting between two narratives in the same time period)
Cut away
Visual effects
Example of an opening sequence from two films...
‘This is England’
As the film is set back in the 1980’s but realised in 2006 they needed to make the opening credits fit in with the time period. To do this Chris Wyatt (editing director) used short clips or images of different pieces of footage associated with England and the time period, for instance flags, war and fighting as it was the time of the Falkland’s war. Because of this the audience were able to establish the location, however not the characters as they do not appear (although this does not seem a major concern). Whilst the visual scenes were being shown a song was played throughout, this gave a non- diegetic approach so that the audience would focus on the pictures. However the soundtrack chosen is ironic to the film as it is meant to be promoting England, especially white national groups such as the National Front. Yet at the same time links as the film also illustrates the skinhead subculture, whose roots are associated with Jamaican culture, (especially ska, rocksteady, and reggae music). However during the film a major sense of racism is shown which makes the music chosen ironic in some ways as White’s are discriminating against Blacks yet are listening to their original music. The sequence helps create the narrative as it gives the viewer an idea of what is going to occur in the film but at the same time not giving too much away, making the audience want to continue watching.
http://www.thisisenglandmovie.co.uk/#
‘Lord of the Rings, the fellowship of the rings’
The opening for ‘Lord of the Rings’ is very different from ‘This is England’ as it sets the scene for the film by starting with the stories past occurrences which lead to the present day.
To change the time the screen fades to black which creates the narrative enigma, also the sound alters with each scene which makes it more interesting and intense. We are quickly shown the location by a map which is used also to change scenes as it is referred to when entering a new place.
As the sequence is quite long and in depth there are many shots used. For example and aerial shot, panning across the army to show how vast it is and the amount of people ready to fight for what they believe in. Another is the low angle shot on the evil monster to show his height and power.
The auditory effects play a very big part in creating the intense impact, especially with the use of instruments and choir, singing notes. However the sound effects with the hyperbolic elements truly enhance the scenes as the exaggeration of the fire and arrows, etc, make a bigger impact and show power and danger. Also as the story progresses it gains texture, as we begin to hear the characters. This helps build up the structure as well as the ‘Lord of the Rings motif which is repeated throughout. We establish the fantasy genre within the opening sequence as we see that supernatural forms are used as the primary element of the plot, and setting, as it is set in a fictional place where magic is common.
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
AS Media Preliminary Task
Brief
Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.
Continuity
Continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer. While most continuity errors are subtle, such as changes in the level of drink in a character's glass or the length of a cigarette, others can be more noticeable, such as sudden drastic changes in appearance of a character, or the unexplained appearance of a character believed to be dead.
Production Techniques
The 180° rule
Match on action
Shot Reverse Shot
Shot Sizes
Arrows inside the frame signify
character movement.
Camera Movement
Panning- L.R. fiexed point pivot
Tracking- camera physically moves L.R. forward/ backwards
Tilting- up/ down but with a fixed point
Script
Shot List
Storyboard
Risk Assessment
Lighting: As our scene did not require any additional lighting it would be a good idea for me to experiment and research the different types that can be used. For example 3 point lighting -Key Light, Fill Light, and Rim Light, also called Back Light.
This is an image showing the role the threelights
I have taken pictures of a similar scene and a different situation to show that I understand the mistake we made, and where to position the camera in the future.
Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.
Continuity
Continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer. While most continuity errors are subtle, such as changes in the level of drink in a character's glass or the length of a cigarette, others can be more noticeable, such as sudden drastic changes in appearance of a character, or the unexplained appearance of a character believed to be dead.
Production Techniques
The 180° rule
The 180° rule is a basic guideline in film making that states that two characters (or other elements) in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. If the camera passes over the imaginary axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line. The new shot, from the opposite side, is known as a reverse angle.
Match on action
Match on action occurs when an action that begins in one shot is continued or completed in the next. In an exterior shot Julia Roberts opens the front door to a house. In the next shot the camera, now indoors, photographs her entering the foyer and closing the door.
http://www.infoplease.com/cig/movies-flicks-film/cutting-for-content.html 09.09.09
http://www.infoplease.com/cig/movies-flicks-film/cutting-for-content.html 09.09.09
Shot Reverse Shot
A series of shots edited together that alternate characters usually during a conversation scene.
Shot Sizes
Framing
Use the rule of 3rds when framing. The rule states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would.
Arrows inside the frame signifycharacter movement.
Arrows outside the frame signify camera movement.
Camera Movement
Panning- L.R. fiexed point pivot
Tracking- camera physically moves L.R. forward/ backwards
Jibbing- camera physically up/ down
Tilting- up/ down but with a fixed point
Plot of Prelim script
One night at a house party Lisa is applying make-up in the bathroom when Claire storms in and accuses her of sleeping with her boyfriend. Lisa denies this and the aurgument continues. This leads to the point were Lisa walks out of the bathroom and turns back to reveal she did sleep with Claires boyfriend.
Script
Shot List
Storyboard
Location Recce
Risk Assessment
Mise-en-scene
Lighting- There is a window at the back of the room which lets in sunlight, but because the scene is set at night time we will either have to shoot the scene at night or block the light coming in through the window. We will use the light at the top middle of the ceiling for all around light but if we decided to show tension we may have to bring in another light source.
Costume- The setting of our script is at a house party, and the characters are both female and 16 years of age. So they’re costume will be reasonably basic and from their own wardrobe. To make it more realistic we will just ask the characters to wear an outfit that they would usually wear to and actual party. This will include dresses and high heels.
Props- The scene opens with one character applying her make up. This means we will use makeup as a prop. Our scene is at a party so we could place some beer cans or bottles in the scene to make this more obvious.
Make-up and hair- The characters makeup will differ slightly. Lisa will have usual makeup on as if she was attending a real party. Yet Claire will need to have mascara smudged, and tears down her face because her character is angry, and in the situation she will have been crying before entering the scene.
The character Claire will have her hair straight.
The character of Lisa will have her hair curly.
The character of Lisa will have her hair curly.
Character movement- Claire: Her character is angry and slightly cocky so she will enter the room in a mood, stomping her feet. She will also continuously hold her chest high to show her cocky attitude yet at the end of the scene she could change her mood drastically to show that she is shocked.
Lisa: In the beginning of the scene she will hold herself low as if she is scared and timid. Yet, as the scene goes on she develops a bitch attitude which results in her posture becoming more upright with an attitude on her face.
Lisa: In the beginning of the scene she will hold herself low as if she is scared and timid. Yet, as the scene goes on she develops a bitch attitude which results in her posture becoming more upright with an attitude on her face.
Set design- Our scene is based in a regular bathroom at a party so we will not have to alter the set at all because it is fine the way it is.
Evaluation
Evaluation
During our film process we didn’t come across many problems other than a few minor issues. For instance the bathroom space was not as big as we expected therefore there was not a lot of room for the tripod to stand and the camera to be moved. Also the scene was meant to be at night in a party and as we filmed in the day the room was very light which was opposite to the script and mise-en scene. So if filmed again we would need to cover the windows, however this could cause a problem with the lighting so should be tested. Another problem we faced was that there was a mirror in the centre of our performance meaning that it was more difficult for our camera operator to film the shots as her reflection was shown in our first attempts. This means that in the future we will have to take technical difficulties into account whilst doing our location recce so we can amend them and make it easier in the shooting period.
As we watched our first attempt at filming in the final edit we came across many problems which were hard to avoid. Problems such as jump cuts, continuity problems of character movement, and little shot-reverse shot covering the dialogue. As our filming was far below the standard required we decided to re-film our scene to improve on parts we did incorrectly. This also gave us a chance to fix our mistakes, add more shot variety, improve our performance, and change our costumes as we didn’t think they suited the mise-en-scene.
As we watched our first attempt at filming in the final edit we came across many problems which were hard to avoid. Problems such as jump cuts, continuity problems of character movement, and little shot-reverse shot covering the dialogue. As our filming was far below the standard required we decided to re-film our scene to improve on parts we did incorrectly. This also gave us a chance to fix our mistakes, add more shot variety, improve our performance, and change our costumes as we didn’t think they suited the mise-en-scene.
The second time we went in to edit we immediately realised the new filming was much better than the previous, however there were still faults. The main one being jump cuts. Although there wasn’t as many as before they were still apparent. A jump cut is a drastic transition between two camera shots. They are usually accidents that happen as a result of such factors as an extreme change in subject, size, camera angle, screen direction or position, or a camera shift from moving action to a stationary shot. In some case’s we managed to overcome the jump cuts by overlapping shots so that the sound would come earlier than the visual to make smoother cuts, yet we could not do this all the time as there were to extent. Nonetheless we did the best we could to disguise them and keep our footage at a high standard.
This cut from shot one to shot two makes the subject appear to "jump" in an abrupt way.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_cut
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_cut
Another problem which we faced was continuity. An example in our performance is in a shot where LISA is putting on make-up with her hand on her face, and in the next second having her arm at her side. This problem occurred because we had shot that scene a number of times- as it was incorrect- but did not think about our last position from the previous scene. This showed us that especially when you are working with mirrors it is very important to take note of the reflection, as even if the focus is not on that person they are still seen. If we were to shoot this scene again we would take this into consideration and make sure that we were more careful with movement and previous actions. We tried to solve the problem by cutting and adding shots from other parts of the scene to make it more fitting. We did the best we could to resolve the problem and make it less noticeable, which we achieved to some extent.
This is a screen grab of continuity in our footage, from one shot to the next.
A major fault in our performance was the breaking of the 180° rule.
A major fault in our performance was the breaking of the 180° rule.
As you can see, in this screen grab it shows us ‘crossing the line’ as it passes from the left to right of CLAIRE which is breaking the rule.
This is something we covered along time ago and were told never to do. However in our defence we did not realise the line and been crossed until we started editing. This is a regretful error which we could not correct in the time given, yet we know in the future to be more careful and aware.
For our mise-en-scene we noticed that although we had followed it to some extent we had made a few mistakes and changes. The main being the appearance of the characters. In the brief CLAIRE has smudged make-up on her face from where she has been crying, and her hair was meant to be down and straight. This was not the case as we did not have a lot of time to film and the kink in my hair was to extreme to straighten. Also we decided not to wear heels as we did not want to damage the bathroom floor. Nevertheless we believe that our outfits fitted the description for a house party. The set design was perfect as Natalie’s bathroom was great for what we needed, however it would have been better if we had put bear cans and bottles around to emphasis the party, yet what we did not think this as being a major issue as the surroundings suited. The lighting as I spoke about earlier was ok but would have been better if shot at night, although additional lighting would be needed. The music was also fine as we added it by CD whilst editing, and making the sound louder when the door opened, and quieter when closed was a good effect and did not affect the speech of the actors. It also helped develop my skills in the editing suit.
On the whole the first project we were set did not go to plan in all aspects, however we tried our best to recover our mistakes and make it the best we could. This was the first time I have ever done anything like this and I have enjoyed the experience, plus learnt a lot of new skills in the process which will help me in the future. For the next project I know the things in which I need to improve on and hopefully I will not need to re-shoot the footage. Although the finished product isn’t perfect the work that went into it before hand and after was thought through carefully and done well.
On the whole the first project we were set did not go to plan in all aspects, however we tried our best to recover our mistakes and make it the best we could. This was the first time I have ever done anything like this and I have enjoyed the experience, plus learnt a lot of new skills in the process which will help me in the future. For the next project I know the things in which I need to improve on and hopefully I will not need to re-shoot the footage. Although the finished product isn’t perfect the work that went into it before hand and after was thought through carefully and done well.
Skill Developent
Lighting: As our scene did not require any additional lighting it would be a good idea for me to experiment and research the different types that can be used. For example 3 point lighting -Key Light, Fill Light, and Rim Light, also called Back Light.
The Three Point Lighting Technique is a standard method used in visual media such as video, film, still photography and computer-generated imagery. It is a simple but versatile system which forms the basis of most lighting. Once you understand three point lighting you are well on the way to understanding all lighting.
The technique uses three lights called the key light, fill light and back light. Naturally you will need three lights to utilise the technique fully, but the principles are still important even if you only use one or two lights. As a rule:
If you only have one light, it becomes the key.
If you have 2 lights, one is the key and the other is either the fill or the backlight.
The technique uses three lights called the key light, fill light and back light. Naturally you will need three lights to utilise the technique fully, but the principles are still important even if you only use one or two lights. As a rule:
If you only have one light, it becomes the key.
If you have 2 lights, one is the key and the other is either the fill or the backlight.
Key Light
This is the main light. It is usually the strongest and has the most influence on the look of the scene. It is placed to one side of the camera/subject so that this side is well lit and the other side has some shadow.
This is the main light. It is usually the strongest and has the most influence on the look of the scene. It is placed to one side of the camera/subject so that this side is well lit and the other side has some shadow.
Fill Light
This is the secondary light and is placed on the opposite side of the key light. It is used to fill the shadows created by the key. The fill will usually be softer and less bright than the key. To acheive this, you could move the light further away or use some spun. You might also want to set the fill light to more of a flood than the key.
This is the secondary light and is placed on the opposite side of the key light. It is used to fill the shadows created by the key. The fill will usually be softer and less bright than the key. To acheive this, you could move the light further away or use some spun. You might also want to set the fill light to more of a flood than the key.
Back Light
The back light is placed behind the subject and lights it from the rear. Rather than providing direct lighting (like the key and fill), its purpose is to provide definition and subtle highlights around the subject's outlines. This helps separate the subject from the background and provide a three-dimensional look.
The back light is placed behind the subject and lights it from the rear. Rather than providing direct lighting (like the key and fill), its purpose is to provide definition and subtle highlights around the subject's outlines. This helps separate the subject from the background and provide a three-dimensional look.
This is an image showing the role the threelights
Storyboard: During the pre-production stage I found it very difficult to do the drawing side of the storyboard so left it to the others whilst I did the writing. As a result it would be good for me to look at the different styles of storyboards to feel more comfortable when having to do one on my own.
A storyboard is a panel or series of panels of rough sketches outlining the scene sequence and major changes of action or plot in a production to be shot on film or video.
A storyboard is a panel or series of panels of rough sketches outlining the scene sequence and major changes of action or plot in a production to be shot on film or video.
These are a few images I found of storyboards to show the more simple and complicated ways of doing tI will try and use these techniques in my own storyboards in the future.
The breaking of the 180* rule in our scene
The breaking of the 180* rule in our scene
I have taken pictures of a similar scene and a different situation to show that I understand the mistake we made, and where to position the camera in the future.
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