research

Last lesson we watched Physco a Hitchcock film. We wrote some notes on it and talked about the effects Hitchcock use. Next lesson we are looking at a horror film witch is made in modern day. We should after that write up a summary of what we found out and the contrast between the two.

research - film trailers

I am going to watch some horror/thriller film trailers, this will help me with my work because it will show me what professionals do and how they create an effect on you.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2128124953/
This is the first trailer I watched. It starts of just like a man filming his children with his camera. Then the next shot is like a black and white fuzzy TV effect, then to the little girl in dark room her face is approaching the camera which is quite an eerie effect which looks out of place as it cuts back to the original filming on the girl. This makes you think why it did that. When it shoots the little girl it always cut to a scene where something weird happens. The first thing you realise is the music. It’s dramatic, it building up to make you jump; this is a major thing to do when creating a horror/thriller film. Then there is like a voice over of the characters over some words, they must mean something towards the film so it keeps you hooked. Then it does loads of 3 or 4 second scenes to create an effect and show different things happening. There are allot of shots looking down on to the girls to show vulnerability. After this scene it goes to one with the two little girls. It shows them talking to each other and filming themselves in the mirror saying bloody Mary 3 times. They think nothing happens. But the audience can see that a person appeared behind them. This is done to involve the viewer. It makes you feel for the girls and you know something’s going to happen so you watch more. Then it's the end of the trailer finishing of with the film title appearing in a way the movie was with the same fuzziness. Watching this showed me that music is a big influence on making the viewer jump. Also keeping the same effect the way through so you know when something’s going to happen.



http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2985204761/
The second’s trailer I watched was "the thing" it starts of with a man doing a voice over when a helicopter fly’s over a land of ice. There is an eerie music playing in the background. Then it cuts to a scene when two people are talking. The music is still in the background giving an effect that you think something’s going to happen. You now can see two people talking using the 180 degree rule. Then it cuts back to the helicopter and the helicopter pilot then them landing. These characters look to be the main ones as they have a talking role and they focus on them. It then has an establishing shot of the scenery with the women walking around them. There is a person talking over the top again. then a man says "let me show you why I flew you 10thousand miles" the music gets louder and more eerie, she looks shocked when she looks at it, we as a audience cannot see it yet so it makes us want to watch on. Then it cuts to a black screen and then a bird eyes view of the object we cannot figure out what it is yet. They cut it out of the ice and about to take a sample. the women is sceptical, when they start drilling in the music starts picking up and getting louder so you except something to happen. You don't see what happens next as it cuts to a scene with a man talking to a bunch of people who was helping with the expiration. Everyone except the girl is happy and drinking and singing. Its cuts to a establishing shot of the house with the music cutting in again. The camera is zooming in to the house and looking down on it. Then there are short little shots of the ice melting. Then the watchman says "do you hear that" with the music slightly getting louder. Then the music gets quieter as a man approaches a window. Some thing grabs him to make you jump. The thing takes him in. then it cuts to a scene of people hearing his scream and then outside with a torch. Its short little clips after this trying to work out what happened. The last clip of this is the girl approaching a corner. Then it goes quiet. Then it grabs her and makes you jump.



I know these are film trailers and we are doing opening sequence but I thought I would watch these to look at the sounds, shoots and editing which I could incorporate them into my opening sequence

reflection on work so far.

I just had a discussion with my media teacher and went over my work and see what I could improve and what I need to do. The list which we made is:

• to post this and improve on feedback
• post video to vimeo successfully
• I could make a vlog instead of writing it out
• check spelling and punctuation
• expand on work and describe more with more formal words
• review a opening sequence
• talk about trailers and identify that I know it's a opening sequence
• change words for more formal
• write about the whole plot even after the opening 2 minutes
• talk about health and safety
• expand on reflection on work
• Add storyboard for priminary.
• write storyboard for opening sequence
• add 30 degree rule
• take location shot photos

I am hoping to doo all of these points before next lesson if not I will catch up and finish it just after.

Plot...

I have now decided about what my plot is and what is going to happen in the 2 minute opening sequence
We are doing. It is going to be shot at the londis on

Linacre Avenue

. It is going to be a night shoot so I am going to do it all on the same night as if I do it over a period of for example 3 days the weather conditions and lighting would be affected and it will look unnatural. The sound will be done with a microphone. This is done so it will be louder so you can hear the characters.

The plot is going to be around a male main character. This plot is going to be a summary of what is going to happen. I have also decided on a title which is going to be "wrong place wrong time".
The main character is going to miss the bus. This makes him decide to walk home. He walks past a shop which he leads on to him getting kidnapped beside. When they grab him he struggles then try’s to run off and two people come from round the corner and grab him. They then proceed to tie his hands behind his back and blindfold him. Then they take him away.

This is going to be the bit I am filming. The plot after the opening title sequence is what this next part is about. This is going to continue to the next scene of the main character in a room just by him and no ways out. Then there is going to be a loud speaker sound where there is going to be someone telling him what he has to do to get out and this is because what he has before. This is going to go on and they are going to bring his family into this and it’s about his escape from this and he has to makes choices about who dies

research

I am searching today for techniques people use to create a horror effect. I found a blog with an amateur director asking for techniques used in horror films. There is great response of people responding with tips and techniques.

I might use these in my project.
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/techniques-independent-production/83021-horror-movie-techniques.html

They talk about lighting, mise en scene, shots.