Design Decisions

Costumes- For our film, we will be dressing the adversary of the film in quite tattreed/old looking worn in clothing, thta will possibly have blood stains on, and will look unsusal. We will not however, be making the clothing really dark, as it may fade into the background, and obscure the vision of the costume. Our protagonist on the other hand will have fairly normal average looking clothes, to show thereis nothing strange or hidden about them.

Lighting- For our film we will rely mainly on natural light from the setting, we are filming in. For example, in the twlighti hour between the day and night we won't be using any form of extra light to aid the camera, and will shoot as it is. But when it gets darker, we will be using the small torch on the camera, to create a different mood, and higlight certain feautures of the charcters. 

Props- For our film we will be using unique props for our film opening, and not sticking to the normal horror genre type of weapon, such as a knife or axe. We will be using weapons such as garden shears, or possibly a chainsaw, as they are not often seen in conventional horror films.

Mise-en-scene-  For our film we are going to use our setting to aid our mise-en-scene for the film, as the visual set of the scene is horror assciated itself, as when filming in a forest in winter, the scene will be looking quite bare and bleak and also quite creepy and mysterious. Also, the brightness of the daylight/ darkness, will help the mise-en-scene, as darkenss is associated with fear, and evil.

Primary Research Task (Graphs)

Primary Research Task Questionnaire

Questionnaire- Horror

(Circle the answer)

1. What type of setting do you find most scary?
A. Graveyard  
B. House   
C. Abandoned area  
D. Other

2. What is your favourite type of horror Film?
A. Slasher 
B. Haunting 
C. Psychological 
D. Crime/Mystery 
E. None

3. What is your favourite genre?

4. What is your favourite film in this genre and what draws you to it?Favourite Film:
A. Advertisements 
B. Actors/Actresses 
C. Trailer

5. What do you most dislike about this genre?
A. Blood/Gore B. Lack of story C. Characters

6. What elements do you expect to witness in this genre?
A. Hero/Survivor 
B. Villain/Killer

7. What do you believe to be the best thing about horror movies?
A. Story line 
B. Blood/Gore 
C. Suspense 
D. Setting 
E. Acting

8. What is the best type of killer?
A. Mysterious    
B. Public   
C. Serial

9. Are you affected by horrors when you watch them?
A. Yes 
B. No

10. What do you expect to see at the end of a horror film?
A. The evil character is killed or taken away   
B. The evil character gets away and continues what he’s doing

Blue Screen Work

Narrative Theories Research

A narrative is originally a story that describes a series of events that happened, fictional or no fictional. An example of this would be the phrase 'once upon a time' which immediatly sets the sotry in the past with the use of the word 'once', and with the use of the words 'upon a time' it shows that the story is set in a world other than our own. This is very often used in fairy tales, or childrens stories.
A narrative is important because a strong narrative for a media text such as a film, can make it somewhat more successful at the cinema, as he customers will be engorssed and wanting to see it more than a film with a poorer narrative.
There are 3 different narrative theories that narratives tend to follow. The first is character type, and is as follows:

• The Hero: Leads the narrative and is usually looking to solve something (Puzzle, Problems etc.).
• The Villain: Conflicts with the hero.
• The Heroine: Is usually some sort of prize or reward that the hero receives.
• The Father: An authority figure who offers a reward to the hero for completing their quest.
• The Helper: Helps the hero; often acts as a sidekick.
• The Donor: Gives the hero something; a clue, a piece of information, or object that helps them to complete their quest.
• The Mentor: Teaches and guides the hero.
  

The second one is the binary opposition theory.  Binary Oppositions are a pair of concepts that are complete opposites to each other. An example of this would be good vs evil, powerful vs weak, hero vs villain, men vs women, etc. Binary Oppositions are almost always used to show the good characters and bad characters within the narrative.


The final narrative theory is the Equilibrium theory. The Equilibrium theory is split into three different sections including the equilibrium, the disequilibrium, and the new state equilibrium, which each have their own individual input to the narrative. The Equilibrium is the start of the story and is normally the main character living their life as it is normally. The Disequilibrium is something that drastically changes the characters normal everyday life and they have to overcome this. And finally the New State Equilibrium is the change in the characters life and how they have be changed in some way. 


In my opinion the most important narrative theory to use for a film opening, is the Equilibrium theory, as it not only helps to set up a strong and reliable narrative plot, but it can also ensure that the narrative will be interesting and appeal to audiences.


Bibliography:
Filmography:

Final Cut Introduction

Earier on in the day, we got into groups of about 2 people, and planned out a short sequence of about 30 seconds, that we were later going to turn into a good looking blue screen test sequence. After wrtiting our scripts for the sequence, and practising them roughly to make sure they would fit in time with the background animation, we then went to a different location to film. There we had 1 person from the group filming, and one person acting, with people from other groupd helping us out with our work. After filiming we then went to apple mac suite, to upload and edit our work.


When we were about to use Final cut, there were problems about uploading the files as they were a different fie type to what Final Cut accepts, and the program refused to upload and work with the file format that our work was in. From this happening, I have learnt that next time I use Final Cut, it would be a good idea to have the correct file format already selected on the camera, or alternatively, have a file converter ready to use, to convert the files from the camera, so they can be used on the Final Cut program.

Treatment

1.What is the main theme or idea? 

We have several different themes and ideas for our film, including cannibalism, displacement, insanity and disfigurement. But the main theme is definitely displacement, within the sense of being lost or confused about where you are and where you're going. Not only physically, but mentally as well.

2.Have you created a distinctive main character who is a rounded, believable character?

We have created a distinctive main character who is believable, and we have done this by, choosing to show the character in a normal everyday situation with his friends, that many people can relate to and understand. Also, we will show that this is the main character, by showing a lot of camera angles from that the main characters point of view.

3.What is his or her goal?

The goal of the main character is to save his friends, from the villains, and get away from the situation alive, to safety and as un-harmed as possible.

4.Who is stopping him or her achieving this goal (the adversary or villain)? 

The villains in our film opening are who is responsible for stopping the hero's goal, are a group of inbreeds, who have adapted and live in the forests secretively, and feed on other humans flesh.

5.What is at stake and why?

What is at stake is the lives of the main characters friends, as they have been taken and are immediately presumed to be in danger from the way they were mysteriously taken by the inbreeds, who are shown to be incredibly violent and disturbed.

6.Where does the film take place? 

The film takes place in a woodland scene, which will have shots not only seen in the day time, but most of the action shots will be filmed at night, which will add to the horror aspect, but also is conventional of the horror genre.

7.Have you created other interesting characters?

We have created other interesting characters, by including the main characters friends. We have chosen to show some of their personalities in the opening to our film, to not only make it believable, but also it creates the right atmosphere for the film.

Audience Research

Why audience research is important:
Audience research is important because  the size and reaction from the audiences measures the success of media texts, more so, with films. As the bigger the audience, added with a good reaction, is most likely going to make the film very successful. Without audiences, media texts would not be created.

Are audiences are categorized, e.g. demographics:
Audiences are categorized into different grades depending on their lifestyle choice, this is called demographics. The grades range from E to A, starting at working class people and students who have lower skilled careers or are unemployed, all the way up to the high class people who are expected to have high intelligence and skilled careers.

Key audience theories and which one best explains the medias relationship with the audience:
There are key audince theories within audince research, used to udertsnad the relationship, between the media and itse audience. Te key theories are:

• Hypodermic Needle Model: This is the theory that the media is capable of 'mass manipulation' of the audience an can make them believe anything they possibly want to within the film.
  This theory however, in recent years proves to not be as effective as it was in earlier years, due to people being less gulliable of the information fed to them.
• Two step flow model: This is the theory that the film or media text is shown to key people, who then pass on the information about said text to others around them. Therefore making others wnat to view the text also.
• Uses and gratifications: This is the theory that suggests how the accidence may have certain needs or desires that the media meets for them. Examples of this are diversion, which distracts them from their everyday life, surveillance which could make them more aware of their surroundings and world they live in, personal identity which may give them an insight to their inner personality or how they're like and personal relationship which could show people views on how they feel about others.
• Reception Analysis: This is the theory that infers that the audience interprets the meaning of the media text (film) differently based on their background, or a possible life experience they have encountered. 
• Effects debate:  This is the theory that media text (film) changes or completely alters the viewers opinions and beliefs on certain aspects of life, therefore 'effecting' them.

 I believe that the best theory to use of the audiences of today is the two step flow model. I think this because, usually if a film is of very good quality doubled with a interesting storyline which proves to be enjoyable for the viewer, many people will pass along the message to friends or colleagues that share the same interests as the viewer which in turn, may influence them a lot to go and watch the film. This is seen a lot with teen films, as at school or college, teenagers are likely to speak to their friends about recent films they have viewed, which their friends will usually go and view as well. 


Bibliography:

Filmography:

Our Groups Film Idea

The basic idea for our groups film idea is that, a group of friends go missing in a dark and dangerous location, and that after some playful banter and a quick introduction to the main character and his friends, things seem to take a turn for the worst, when people appear to go missing, the main character realises that they have been taken by 'inbred' humans that live there. 

Our Groups Mood Board

This is the mood board that my group has produced for our movie opening.
The key concepts of our mood board are cannibalism, displacement, insanity, and disfigurement.
We have chosen these concepts because not only are they very interesting and difficult things to display/ get across which we think we could convey, but they are also quite vicious and abnormal concepts, which also link quite nicely to our film idea.

We have shown the concept of cannibalism in our mood board, mainly in the bottom left hand corner, with the use of images of severed body parts accompanied by blood, and other images of people being killed with a bow and arrow, and also cannibals themselves eating a corpse. We have also used text with the concept itself being placed just above all the images.

We have shown the concept of displacement in our mood board, in the top section, with the use of exotic and calming images, that you could most likely get lost in. But mainly focusing on the forest which we have put a 'wrong way' sign on along with a road sign linking to other words connected to being lost. This also links to the thought of being trapped within a surrounding, and we have tried to bring through this other concept with text saying 'trapped' and using an image of a figure being trapped.

We have shown the concept of disfigurement in our mood in the bottom right hand corner, with the use of images, showing being with mainly facial disfigurements, such as two face from the latest Batman film, and a zombie with facial disfigurements. we have also included a masked figure in this section, because as well as being disfigured, the identity of the villains in our film is also quite hidden and mysterious, which will add to the suspense and horror.

Finally, we have shown the concept if insanity in our mood board with scattered images around the board, which we have done because the thought of insanity, is that thoughts are scattered and misread. The images we have used are however, are the joker, from the new Batman film, as he is shown to be an insane character in the film, who is feared aswell as pitied slightly. We have also used the image of autopsy on the brain at the bottom, which links to insanity, as the brain is the key cause of insanity with living creatures. Finally, we have used the text 'Killer', as many murderers and killers are often describes as insane, as they are believed to be troubled in the mind, to be able to kill someone.