First Draft Feedback

We showed the first draft of our opening to several other students, in order to gain their feedback.
They stated what they found to be effective, and also what they felt didn't work so well.
The parts that people felt were effective were:

• The large range of shots
• The non diegetic sound
• Typography
• Flashback shots are effective

The parts that people felt were less effective:

• Horror genre unclear
• Ending too abrupt
• Title should appear at end

To improve, we moved the title ("Young Blood") to the end of the sequence.  We felt that this would also solve the problem of the ending being too abrupt and confusing.

Editing Colour and Sound

In this editing session I made more colour adjustments and correction as well as experimented with adding diegetic sound to the footage to make it appear and sound more realistic.

I began correcting colours in consecutive shots that did not have the same colouring, so the continuity of these shots would be fluid and therefore look more professional. The footage was dark and had a red cast to it, so I counteracted this by bringing out more blue midtones and shadows as well as increasing the saturation and exposure slightly so it would not look as dark as before.

I continued this process on continuous shots that had a different shot cutting in between them. They were differently coloured despite being shot in the same location with the same miss-en-scene, so I adjusted the saturation levels of both shots and corrected the dark reddish cast present in the shots by focusing most of the colouring in the blues and greens on the colour board.

After correcting colours, I began working with sound. As it was my first time adding and adjusting external sounds on Final Cut Pro, I only used one sound.

I added the diegetic sound of a purse being dropped to the  corresponding shot, moving it so it would be directly parallel to the action instead of being disconnected and therefore making the footage look amateurish.

I then used the blade tool to cut the sound and make it shorter, as it was too long to correctly match the action in the shot. After this, the sound matched the footage but was too loud and some faint background noise was present, so I used the select tool to lower the volume of the individual sound to match the action but not overpower it.

Evaluation

I feel that this editing was successful, as I had more confidence and experience with the colour correcting, but I still did not do as much as I could have due to inexperience with editing sound. As the sound I edited was successful, I will work on more sounds in the future and improve further.

Editing Footage

I started editing some of the footage the group has compiled as we have finished filming most of our opening and need to start the editing process. As it was my first time editing and using Final Cut Pro software, I only made minor changes such as colour correction and cutting unneeded footage.

To begin with I experimented with some of the special effects the software offered, but did not include any in the end as I felt they made the footage look more amateurish than before.

Next I experimented with saturation and exposure levels. As the footage is going to be used in a scene set at twilight/dusk, it needed to be made slightly darker and more shadowy, as it had been shot at an earlier time to ensure it was visible. To achieve this, I decreased the brightness of the footage slightly and brought the shadows that were already present forward.

Then I changed the colour filters on the footage to make it look a little darker and colder. To do this I increased the darker blue and purple tones in the footage and experimented with the more yellow tones in the religious mural to complement the yellow colour already present.

After making colour and lighting corrections I used the blade tool to cut unneeded footage, as the total footage we had was over 8 minutes long. I reviewed the footage and decided which shots were the most effective and looked the best after the corrections and kept those shots, cutting nearly 5 minutes of unneeded footage. 

Evaluation

I feel that while this editing session was successful, I didn't so as much as I could have if I had more experience using editing software. To improve next time, I will edit more footage to gain more experience with the software and improve the quality of the project.

Recording of Sounds

For our film opening we would be needing some diegetic sounds to overlay on top of our non-diegetic sound we will have throughout the film opening.

First of all we decided to record basic footsteps to use in the film opening. We waited until our surroundings were quiet and then had one of us walk down a corridor whilst the other recorded the sounds that were made. We ended up with having two sets of recordings for the footsteps as one sounded better than the other in some ways, it was louder and seemed to be more realistic.



The next diegetic sound we recorded was that of a door opening. We found a fairly old door that would make a lot of noise that we could capture when we were to open it. The noise it made was very realistic when we listened back to the recording.




The final sound we recorded was of the same door closing. We used the same door so that it would sound similar to when it was being opened but instead in reverse to portray that fact that the door would be closing instead of opening like in the previous sound clip.




Evaluation.

• Overall I believe the sounds were quite well recorded and sounded like we wanted them to.
• There may be some fuzzy sounds that can be heard in the background from the recorder so we may need to consider re-recording again
• The sounds we recorded were what we needed for our film opening.

Mise-en-Scene: Jars

As my last attempt at making the killer's jars was unsuccessful, I tried again with different materials to make the jar look more realistic and effective.

• I used warm water and brown/yellow coloured materials such as gravy granules, honey and tea to make the liquid inside the jar look old and decayed, to show the killer has kept these jars as souvenirs for a long time. The liquid is also not as opaque as my previous attempt, so the solids in the jar can still be seen.
• For the 'body parts', I used dried orange peel and orange segments as I felt they resembled human insides or decayed human flesh.

 

Overall this attempt was more successful than the previous jar I created, as it looks somewhat more realistic. However I am still not happy with this jar as the liquid was not hot enough to mix all the ingredients together, so some of them stayed solid and stuck to the bottom and sides of the jar, and therefore took away from the effect.

Killer's Jars

To establish the mental instability and obsessive nature of our serial killer, we decided that she would keep body parts of her victims in jars, which we would include in the mise-en-scene of her lair. To prepare for the scene of the lair, I attempted to make these kinds of jars with household items.

• I used tap water mixed with green and yellow paint to create the liquid inside the jars
• I tried to use pieces of fruit as body parts, but these would float to the top of the liquid and could not be seen from the side. They also did not look realistic, and so were ineffective.
• I then moulded red and yellow plasticine into finger and toe shapes, and painted them grey and green to make them look decayed.

My first attempt was not successful, as the liquid looked too bright and was too opaque, so the plasticine models could not be seen.

 

My second attempt was slightly more successful, but was still ineffective as the liquid was still too opaque and the paint on the plasticine came off in the liquid, so the bright colours could be seen and so made the models look unrealistic.

To improve next time, I will experiment with different materials and ensure the ones I use look as effective and realistic as possible.

Production Company

We have decided that the major company production we will use in our film opening is Paramount Pictures.

We made this decision because out of the previous research we conducted on major production companies, Paramount had released more psychological horrors than the other companies researched and so would be more suitable for us to use.

Garage Scene: Mise-en-Scene Log

In this scene, we are shooting our antagonist in their garage lair surrounded by items that establish to the audience that they are a serial killer and are conventional to the psychological horror genre. The mise-en-scene needed in this scene will be:

• The killer's journal
• Photos of past victims on the garage wall
• A desk
• Tools and weapons e.g. craft knives
• Jars full of body parts and liquids

In terms of costume, the killer's identity will remain hidden from the audience, so they will wear dark/black jeans and a black hooded top with the hood up over the actor's face. This scene will be shot in low key lighting with a desk lamp and a torch to create an unsettling and anticipative atmosphere for the audience. 

Sound Deconstruction: Se7en

The sound I will be deconstructing is the non diegetic music from the opening sequence of 'Se7en'.

• The sound is parallel to the unsettling images shown onscreen, reinforcing the psychological horror genre.
• There is a high pitched, fast paced beat in the background that is present throughout the entire sound and is one of the most regular elements of the sound.
• Throughout the sequence, a distorted squealing sound can be heard that is grating and will shock the audience listening.
• Static can also be heard at various points during the sequence, which makes the music sound more disjointed and unsettling.
• Before the music noticeably intensifies at 1:13, echoing synth notes can be heard. These sound like high pitched vocalising, which juxtaposes with the other harsh distorted noises present and creates a jarring effect.
• At 1:13, electric guitar riffs are added to the music, which then intensifies as the sounds get louder and faster.
• More electric guitar riffs can be heard towards the end of the sequence, which build in volume in a crescendo and give the music a frantic, disjointed feel.

This deconstruction is useful as we can use this as a reference when we create our final soundtrack for our film opening. This sequence uses shocking, distorted sounds to shock and unsettle the audience, which we can incorporate into our own soundtrack to make it more successful.

Opening Titles: American Horror Story

 0:09 Actor
Zachary Quinto

0:16 Actor: Joseph Fiennes

0:24 Actor

Sarah Paulson

0:33 Actor

Evan peters

Continued:

Recording Sounds

I experimented with recording sounds to add to our footage during the editing process to emphasise particular sounds that may not be audible in the footage. I recorded these sounds with household items on my phone.




I created this sound by taking a knife out of my cutlery drawer and scraping it against the metal inside of the drawer as I did so. This sound could be used in a scene where our antagonist sharpens his tools, or removes them from their hiding place. I recorded this sound in my kitchen, so there was some noticeable background noise that interfered with the recording and so it was not very effective.



I recorded myself turning the pages in a notebook to create this sound, which would be used in a scene where our antagonist looks through his diary that contains photos and information about past victims. This recording was the most successful as there is no background noise interfering with the sound and it sounds authentic.




The last sound was created by rustling the branches of my Christmas tree, as every time I tried to record bushes and trees in an outdoors setting there was natural background noise that interfered with the recording. This sound would be used in the stalking scenes of our opening, where the antagonist follows her victims before she kills them. The tree I used was ineffective as it made a different sound to bushes and foliage being moved around and rustled, so this recording was not successful. There is also background noise as I recorded this in my living room and there were other people present.

Evaluation
The recordings are not of the best quality because:

• My phone was the only device I had that could record audio
• There is background noise in two of the recordings
• They might not sound authentic

To improve, next time I should ensure that there is as little background noise present as possible so the sound in the recordings is not distracted from. I should also find another device that records sound in a higher quality.

Shooting Script and Evaluation

Date of filming: 2nd January 2014
Locations: Bexley Village, the bridge on the A2

3 pm: Meet at Bexley War Memorial and begin prep for filming e.g. preparing mise-en-scene on the actors

• Mise-en-scene included the stalker's costume and props (all black clothing and rucksack) and the victim's costume (coat, jeans and boots)

4 pm: Begin filming stalking scenes around Bexley Village and bridge

• Shoot establishing shots, POV shots, mid shots, over the shoulder shots 

 

For reference, this is the scene from the storyboard that we plan to film:

5 pm: Finish filming


Evaluation of filming
This session did not go as well as we expected because we lost the light quickly and it became too dark to film successfully, which means we will have to reshoot and reconsider what time we start filming in the future. There were also inconsistencies in the shots and difficulty with camera settings, which will be changed for the next time we shoot.

On the other hand, the session was beneficial to us as we were able to see which camera angles would work the best in these scenes and will be able to use them in the reshoot. Our actor and mise-en-scene were also prepared quickly which will be useful in future filming sessions. After this session, we now have to reconsider how long it will take us to film the rest of our opening and also how early we should begin preparing and shooting in the future.

Obsessive Behaviour and Stalking Research

In our film opening, our protagonist is a killer who stalks her victims and shows obsessive traits in her personality. To ensure that the portrayal of this character is accurate and also effective, I researched obsessive and stalking behaviour. These are some points that I thought would be relevant to the antagonist's character:

• Obsession is defined as: 'Intrusive, repetitive thoughts, images or impulses that are unacceptable and/or unwanted'.
• Some psychologists believe that obsessions are caused by misinterpretations of the significance of a person's intrusive thoughts.
• Obsessions can be linked to anxiety disorders, e.g. obsessive compulsive disorder.
• Obsessive behaviour can be stimulated by aversive emotions like fear or disgust which leads to avoidance behaviour.
• Generally most people with obsessional traits are more socially conforming and less likely to take risks than the average person.
• Many people who behave obsessively often have a 'perfectionist' personality trait wherein they feel the need to get everything right.
• Stalkers can be classified into psychotic and non psychotic stalkers.
• Psychotic stalkers may have suffered from psychotic disorders previously such as delusional disorder or schizophrenia.
• Female stalkers often target other women while male stalkers are equally as like to stalk other men as as they are to stalk women.
• There are 5 types of stalkers:

1. Rejected stalkers
2. Resentful stalkers
3. Intimacy seekers
4. Incompetent suitors
5. Predatory stalkers

• Predatory stalkers do not want a relationship with their victims but seek to control them through assault (physically and/or sexually).
• Stalking is a behaviour that can be present in people with mental disorders, but is not an actual mental disorder itself.

All of this information is useful because it is relevant to the characteristics we have already decided our antagonist will have, which include:

• Being a predatory stalker
• Classified as a psychotic stalker
• Behaviour stimulated by averse emotions of disgust of her own appearance and fear of being ugly and old

Minor Production Companies Research

Dark Castle Entertainment
DCE is a production house formed in 1999 with associations with Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures. Its primary focus when it was first formed was to recreate William Castle's horror films, but began creating original films after two remakes, and also produced films from other genres from 2008 onwards. The most recent horror films produced by DCE are:

• The Apparition (supernatural) 
• The Hills Run Red (slasher)
• Orphan (psychological)
• The Reaping (supernatural)
• Return to House on Haunted Hill (supernatural)

Twisted Pictures
Twisted Pictures is an American independent production company that specialises in producing horror films. It was founded in 2004 after the success of the first 'Saw' film and has since then become well known for producing the films in the 'Saw' franchise. Other horror films recently distributed by Twisted Pictures are:

• Texas Chainsaw 3D (slasher)
• Chain Letter (slasher)
• Mother's Day (psychological)
• Dead Silence (supernatural/slasher)

Platinum Dunes

Like Dark Castle Entertainment, Platinum Dunes specialises in horror films (particularly remakes). Founded in 2001 in Los Angeles, Platinum Dunes entered a first look deal with Paramount Pictures and since then has worked with Paramount on projects such as 'The Butcherhouse Chronicles' and the 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' reboot. Most recent horror films produced by Platinum Dunes are:

• The Purge (horror/thriller)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (slasher)
• The Unborn (supernatural)
• Friday the 13th (slasher)
• The Hitcher (horror/thriller)

Haxan Films

Haxan Films is an independent American production company headquartered in Florida. It is most well known for producing the famous horror film 'The Blair Witch Project', one of the most successful and critically acclaimed independent films of all time. Haxan Film's most recent releases are:

• Lovely Molly (supernatural)
• Seventh Moon (supernatural)
• Altered (creature feature/science fiction)

This research is useful to the group as we need to include a production company in the opening credits of our film opening. We can use this research to decide which company we think is suitable for our genre (psychological horror) and so improve the quality of our opening by making it look more professional.

Photoshoot Preparation

This photoshoot is of a serial killer's next victim and her friends being stalked. The locations we will use are Bexley train station and streets located near the Thames and Tower Bridge.

The models we will be using are Ellie Smith, Alison Ward and Phoebe Richards as they are aged between 16 and 17, which fits the serial killer's ideal victim's age bracket.

     

Mise-en-scene

The models' costumes will be casual clothing that is appropriate to their age group, such as jeans or skirts, boots and jackets.As this photoshoot is just of the killer stalking his victim and not approaching her, there will be no special effects makeup. 

Camera Angles

We will use POV shots from the stalker's perspective, varying from a distance to closeups. Some of the shots will also be slightly obscured by walls or leaves, as if the stalker is keeping out of sight but still following his victim.We will also use over the shoulder shots to show the victims from behind the stalker. 

The point of this photoshoot is to show the killer's ability to stalk his victims in even the safest situations, such as being out with friends in broad daylight. Through this photoshoot we will also be able to test out how well certain camera angles will work and so we will be able to apply this to our final filming of the sequence. 

Film Opening Mise-en-scene

Garage/Lair Scene
In this scene, we will use low key lighting from a torch and a lamp.
The props used will be:

• The killer's journal
• A desk
• Photos of the killer's victims on the wall
• Tools (saw, craft knife)
• Body parts in jars

The killer's face and gender is unknown to the audience, so their costume will be dark jeans and black hoodie with the hood up.

Stalking Scene

We will use low key lighting again in this scene as it will be shot outside at dusk with only street lights as a light source. The victim will be dressed in casual clothes typical of her age group (16-18) e.g. jeans, boots and a jacket. The props used will be a bag and a phone or music player, to make her character more authentic and approachable to the audience.

Flashback Scenes

These scenes will be showing past victims, so they will be covered in fake blood and special effects make up will be applied to them, such as strangulation marks and stab wounds. Other mise-en-scene we will use is:

• A noose
• A bloody bathtub
• A door
• Police tape
• Fake blood

Film Titles Deconstruction

The title 'Orphan' is short and to the point; it reveals a central plot point to the audience of who the main character in the film is, creating an enigma for the character. The typography is notable as it is a seriph font that looks like it was hadwritten by a child with juxtaposing upper and lowercase letters. The word 'orphan' is also associated to children and vulnerability and suggests that the film is about a child. The use of children as central characters in horror films is a frightening concept as their innocence is juxtaposed with the horror in the film, which could intrigue the audience further and encourage them to watch the film.

The Cabin in the Woods

This title describes the location of the film and has connotations of isolation, suggesting that the horror happens in a secluded location which conforms to some conventions of the horror genre.The theme of isolation in turn makes the title sound sinister, establishing to the audience that this film is a horror. The word 'woods' in this context also has associations of dark fairy tales such 'Hansel and Gretel', where the villains live in the woods in isolation and catch their prey. This further reinforces the sinister sound of the title.

Shutter Island

This title again establishes the location of the film and suggests a theme of isolation, as an island is isolated from mainland. This theme of being separated from others fits with the psychological horror elements of the film, linking to both the protagonist's mental state and how he is trapped in an isolated setting. The word 'shutter' also has connotations of something being hidden or covered up, which is a central part of the film's plot. 

Evaluation

All three titles have explicit links to different aspects to the films such as the characters or the setting. This gives enough information to the audience that they can establish the genre of the film and have some idea of what to expect from it, but doesn't give anymore information so the audience is encouraged to find out by watching the film. This research can be useful to my group as we are in the process of choosing a title for our film opening and can use this information to help us further. 

Orphan

Production Companies Research

For my research I looked at notable film production companies that had released recent horror films.




Lionsgate Films is a production studio owned by Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation, a North American entertainment company that was founded in 1997. Lionsgate is the largest independent studio in North America as well as being the most commercially successful. Some of the most recent horror films Lionsgate distributed are:

• The Cabin in the Woods (psychological)
• The Last Exorcism (supernatural)
• Texas Chainsaw 3D (slasher)
• You're Next (slasher)
• My Bloody Valentine (slasher)
• The Saw series (slasher)

Paramount Pictures is another North American studio that produces films and television series. It is notable for distributing successful film series of many genres ranging from family films such as 'Shrek' to horrors such as the Friday the 13th franchise. Some recent horror films that Paramount have produced include:

• Shutter's Island (psychological)
• Paranormal Activity (supernatural)
• Friday the 13th (slasher)
• The Ruins (psychological)

Warner Brothers Entertainment Inc. is an American film studio that produces films, television series and music. It is a major production studio and has several subsidiary companies, a notable one being New Line Cinema. Some horrors it recently produced are:

• The Conjuring (supernatural)
• The Apparition (supernatural)
• Orphan (psychological)
• Chernobyl Diaries ('creature feature')
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (slasher)

New Line Cinema is an American film company that as of 2008 is merged with Warner Brothers and is also a subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting and Time Warner. New Line co produced The Conjuring and A Nightmare on Elm Street with Warner Brothers and also distributed Friday the 13th alongside Paramount Pictures. The studio's last solo distribution of a horror film was Final Destination.

Summit Entertainment LLC is an American film studio with international offices in London. This studio is a subsidiary of Lionsgate and is known for distributing successful franchises such as American Pie and Twilight. Recent horror films produced by Summit are:

• Wrong Turn franchise (slasher)
• Sinister (supernatural)
• Sorority Row (slasher)

AS Film Opening Deconstruction

In this post I will be deconstructing'Fugitive', an existing AS film opening.

Appropriateness for film opening

• The typography in the opening shot tells the audience the name of the production company, which is an institutional convention in film openings.

• The main character is introduced but is not fully developed yet, creating suspense and intrigue.
• The genre is established straight away through mise-en-scene (e.g. bloody hands holding a weapon), meeting audience expectations.

Appropriateness for target audience

• The mise-en-scene denotes violence and mystery which is appropriate for a 15+ audience.
• The film opening appears to be made in the thriller genre which is popular in the target audience.
• The main character is a teenager and so appeals to the target audience.

Appropriateness for genre

• The use of fast paced background music and a non diegetic voiceover creates suspense, meeting conventions of the thriller genre.
• Violence is a prevalent theme shown through the non diegetic voiceover and the mise-en-scene, which meets another convention and audience expectations.
• Fast paced shots of the main character moving around the set as if he is escaping creates suspense and tension which is appropriate to the genre.

Editing

• Straight cuts are used to show continuity, these are mostly successful but some look choppy and rushed which disrupts the continuity of the sequence.
• At the end of the sequence the main title of the film fades onto a black screen, showing that the film makers are able to use basic editing.

Camera angles

• Close up shot used to show main character's bloody hands and weapon which emphasises the theme of violence in this opening:

• Long shot used to show a mysterious character in the distance, also a POV shot from the main character's view. This character's identity is unknown throughout the whole sequence, adding to suspense and creating questions as to who he is: 

• Over the shoulder and closeup shot of the two character's phones involves the audience and allows them to read their messages, attempting to better the audience's understanding of the plot: 

• High angle shot of the main character escaping a cell shows the character's vulnerability and begins to add depth and complexity to the character: 

Sound

• Very little diegetic sound is used in the sequence. The only diegetic sound used is the ringtone of the main character's phone telling him he has a message. 
• The non diegetic background music is composed of fast paced, low pitched synthesised notes that are played on a loop throughout the opening. This music is appropriate as it helps build tension which is a requirement of the genre, but is also boring after the first minute because it doesn't change.
• A non diegetic voiceover is used in this sequence which lowers the quality of the film opening as a whole. This is because the actor providing the dialogue is not a professional and is not able to deliver his lines as emotively or with as much conviction as the sequence requires, making it seem amateurish.

Titles

• The titles are all in the same typography, which is plain and white in colour: 

The only difference in colour is when the main title appears at the end of the sequence and the 'e' is coloured red with what looks like a trail of blood dripping off the tail:

This typography was not very successful because it was rather plain and did not fit with the genre. The font looked like one I could find in Word and with the exception of the main title, was not manipulated at all to look interesting or eye catching. 

Mise-en-scene

• Notable mise-en-scene included the main character's bloody hands and knife, which denoted and connoted violence and met the conventions of the thriller genre. However, the blood looked extremely fake which made the production look unrealistic and more amateurish than more realistic looking fake blood would have done. 
• Both characters wear dark, nondescript clothing. The unidentified character wears a hood to conceal his face, adding to the tension and mystery surrounding his character. The dark clothing met some thriller conventions as they helped mask the character's identity which in turn created more suspense.
• The location appeared to be very isolated, which worked well with the title 'Fugitive' as a fugitive would not be found in a crowded area with lots of people. The film makers used the location well, using stone walls and cells to create a realistic trapped atmosphere for the main character.

Evaluation

I would give this film opening a 38 out of 60, as it is proficient. While lacking in some areas (typography, sound) it was appropriate for the genre and often met conventions and audience expectations of the thriller genre.