Primary Research- Locations Saturday, January 30, 2010

As there are usually scenes featuring forests in horror films, we thought it would be a good idea to feature a forest scene in our film opening. We wanted somewhere where the victim could walk through and where we would be able to film point of view shots from the villain- for this we would need fairly a fairly dense wood so it could be made to seem that the villain is standing behind the trees, hiding.

Two of our locations that we research had dense enough forests for point of view shots. They also had opportunities for high angle shots which would show how the victim is being watched and followed by the villain.

Above is a picture of trees next to a path which she could be walking along and below it is a shot looking down on a path through some trees.

In this other location there is also a path that can be viewed from above, from the villain's point of view (above). There is also a path that goes down a steep slope which could symbolise the victim going down to her death (below it).

The third location we looked at was unsuitable because it was mostly open space as it was on a field with some sparse woodland and a single path at the edge. This was not what we're looking for- we need dense forest and as little open space as possible.

It is likely, however, we will use the first location as it has more opportunites for point of view shots. It also has more paths so we will be more able to find one that is most suited to our storyboard.

We also needed a house location, so we're going to use Georgie's as it is most suited to our storyboard.

Lighting Deconstruction Saturday, January 30, 2010

Lighting Deconstruction: Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Tim Burton)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 2007 film directed by Tim Burton. The lighting in this film is particularly impressive and perfect for inspiration for the opening of a horror film. Nearly all the film is shot in dark lighting with sepia/monotone colouring to give the piece an genuine look. However the blood, playing an important role in the film, remains bright, therefore the audience are immediately drawn the colour. To support this idea the characters also wear all dark colours, so as not to distract the viewers from the blood red. As the blood is so dramatic in colouring it does not give have an authentic look, but rather emits a surreal factor. All of the shadow in Sweeny Todd remains theatrical and supportive of the atmosphere of the scene and/or the character’s feelings. For example Sweeny Todd’s (Johnny Depp’s) face is often shot half in shadow to indicate his descendant into darkness and evil.



A horror still taken from media students at "Amityville horror"

The lighting focuses the viewer’s attention on the girl’s face to amplify her expression. The colour of the light, a yellowish orange tinge, intensifies the curves and use of shadow on her face, than if it were a bright light

The “lines” on the light indicate a blind on the window, implying the notion of lack of sunlight and claustrophobia.

The girl in the background is blurred deliberately to suggest ambiguity and mystery, hence the audience would be aware that the character is probably not to be trusted.

The background is kept dark and plain, so as not to confuse the audience’s attention away from the main character in the foreground.

http://www.rachelnichols.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/4/limit/all

YOUTUBE LINK:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1gMxT2R9z4

This youtube clip features techniques when trying to create dramatic lighting in black and white. The main advice given is to make sure that the dark shadows are crisp and the white areas are illuminated, and avoid “grey” sections. This can be achieved by a strong, bright light. The clip also discusses the importance of silhouettes for dramatic framing and for adding an element of mystery to a character. Other effective skills include the use of lighting up just a section of a character’s face, for example the eyes, to draw in the viewers attention and exaggerate emotion. The techniques gained from this clip will be useful when switching the point of view shots to the murders’, as we are thinking of changing the lighting and colouring to make the juxtaposition more effective.

Some Deconstructions Of Film Music Friday, January 29, 2010

I have been looking into the codes and conventions of the music used in horror films, by deconstructing some soundtracks which hae been used in horror films.

Dead Silence


There are music box or xylophone type sounds, which imply childhood innocence but are played in an eerie sounding minor key, making them seem sinister. Drums and bass are used, but not prominently. This is not enough to distract from the main bulk of the music but enough to carry it along and give it pace. Choirs are heard singing minor harmonies (possibly in four parts) which give the music a gothic feel. This also gives the music an atmospheric effect. Soundscapes are also used, which sound as though something is rushing past. This effect may have been gained by something being played backwards. Other than what has already been mentioned, the piece is made up predominantly of string instruments. Structurally, it begins and finishes in a similar way, building up to a dramatic climax in the middle and slowing down towards the end.

Orphan


The music starts with the sonund of a child singing a song, which would seem innocent but is made to sound more sinister by accompaning it with a low string drone in a minor key. There is a piano or something similar playing a fast paced part which sounds like "twinkling" noises. Drums are only used to highlight important parts of the music and move the piece along. Many sound effects are used, such as rushing noises and glass smashing, adding to the sinister feel of the music. Very high piano chords and strings are played with very low strings, which gives the music a rich yet sinister texture. Again. the music reaches a climax in the middle of the piece.

The next piece of music is actually from an American television drama, but includes some music that could be adapted into a horror film from 1:32 to 3:38.

One Tree Hill


High, screechy sounding strings are used, and coupled with lower bass strings this creates an eerie atmosphere. The use of drums and sudden swells in volume accompany fast paced editing as the camera focusses on points of interest. The piece has a sinister sounding, minor tonality. There are also frequent changes in tempo and metre to make the music sound confused and erratic, which reflects the nature of the situation. The strings slide in an ascending pattern towards a climax while the volume gets gradually louder in order to build up tension. When the door slams, the music suddenly stops and is replaced by totally diagetic sound, reflecting the abrupt nature of what has just happened.

Primary Research Questionnaire Friday, January 29, 2010

Do you regularly watch horror films?

There is a large scope of people who answered ‘yes’ or ‘sometimes’, meaning our film will be popular as a horror. This means that we will have to have a hook to entice the ‘sometimes’ people.

What is your favourite horror and why?

• Sorority Row - Gore
• Silence of the Lambs - Tension
• Jaws - Suspense
• The Hills Have Eyes - Really scary!
• Exorcism of Emily Rose - Relatable
• Dead Silence - Intense
• The Decent - Good story line
• Sixth Sense - Makes you jump
• Natural Born Killers - 'wierd'
• Halloween -Creepy music
• Prom Night - Unexpected ending
• Wickerman -Psychological - not all blood and guts

There is a large range of horror films listed, and we have researched into the ones we have not heard of. There is also a range of high and low budgets, and old and new films. The ‘why’s will help us to factor in people’s likes within other horror films into our own. The majority of these films are ‘realistic’ plot lines that are relatable, so we will choose a plot like this for our own film opening.

Do you like gore included in horror films?

The vast majority enjoy the ‘blood and guts’ factor of horror films, which means that we will definitely be using it in our film opening. We have also learnt from other questions that people do not like gore to overtake the storyline or used in excess, so we will be careful to be only using it tastefully.

Do you enjoy supernatural elements (e.g. “magic”) or do you prefer a realistic horror (e.g. a “mass murderer”)?

The majority of people said they preferred realistic horror films over supernatural elements. In other questions, people said that they liked horror films which they could relate to, so we will make sure that our film opening is realistic.

Are the first few shots of a horror film what entices you to watch?

The vast majority of the people who answered the questionnaire said that the first few shots of the horror film were what enticed them to watch. For this reason, we have to make sure that the very beginning of our film opening is exciting and grabs the viewers attention.

How important do you think music is when making a successful horror film?

Everybody who answered the questionnaire thought that music in horror films was either extremely important or very important. For this reason we will put a lot of focus on the music in our film opening.

Do you prefer to follow the story of the villain or the victim?

There was pretty much an even spread of results, which justifies our plans of alternating shots between the villain and victim, although we will be focussing mainly on the victim.

Do you prefer the plot to be surreal and complicated or simple and easy to understand?

Since most people prefer a surreal plot, it will give us more scope to experiment with lighting, camera angles, colours etc.

Do you find nursery rhymes included in horror ‘creepy’?

A lot of people like the idea of including a nursery rhyme in a horror film, so we will definitely be using this idea in our opening.

What is it about horror films you like the most?

• Can be true to life/happen to anyone - relatable
• Grips you - want to see the outcome
• Clever plot
• Tension/suspense
• Plot twists
• The 'not knowing' element
• Things being left to the imagination

We will take all of these elements into account while writing our narrative.

 What are your main criticisms of horror films in general?

• Tacky
• Fake
• Unbelievable plot
• Predictable
• Over the top
• Gore overpowers storyline
• Gives you nightmares
• Bad special effects

…And we’ll try to avoid these!

First post! Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Does this work? (: