We have created this story board to help us when it comes to the filming process. The storyboard is our basic guidlines to what techniques, shot types, angles and story line our opening will have. Having this basic storyboard will help us save time as we have already thought of the techniques that will be affective and that are creative for our film opening. Story boards are also used to help save money in the film industry as it is very time consuming.

Film Ideas

I helped produce this mind map to give us an idea and group together all of our ideas towards film, location, charecters, props and genre. We discussed what different aspects of the film could affect the genre and what would be most affective for the audience. Also the mind map had us discuss what all of us in the group felt was right for the opening and how to cram all the best bits of a horror film opening into our final peice.

Costume, Props and Equipment.

Woman

• Smart casual
• Skirt and tights
• Cardigan
• Folder
• Handbag
• Papers

We want our women to look inocent however buisness like, using light coloured clothing and less makeup could give this affect. also to be 'cuddling' the papers would create the affect of being inseccure.
 

Security Guard

• White Shirt
• Black tie
• Smart shoes
• Newspaper
• Walkie talkie
• Security badge clearly shown
• Bunch of keys
• Black Trousers

our main aim is to make the security guard looking prfessional and believable, we feel our choice of costume fits this and represents a working man.

Little Girl

• Hair in bunches
• Light colored dress
• Knee high socks
• Dolly shoes
• Teddy bear
• Pale make-up

Although we want the little girl to look scary we still want to keep her child like look, pale face and girly clothing, however a broken teddy or doll will help keep her looking to fit her role as a 'ghostly'  child. we could also use darker eye make up around her eyes to make her look 'deadly'.

Equipment

• Video camera
• Tripod
• Computer
• Sound recording equipment

SAW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIhQ5IrxSPc&feature=fvw

AS studying horror film openings, I have looked at a gruesome opening of the very first SAW film.

The film opens with diegetic sound of someone breathing, then a fizzing noise as a bright old light bulb flickers on, it is a low angle shot which shows domination. The camera then pans around the room as we feel the person who is breathing is looking at the weird objects within the room. The lighting is very dull with a slight blue tint, this gives a good affect as the darkness builds tension, also the unknown objects also build tension and wonder to the audience.

An arm stretches out to turn a mirror, a point of view shot is used as we see a man, his face is cut and bruised and he has a huge device around his neck. The man is very distressed and the audience can clearly see this is a brutal trap. A backwards tracking shot is then used as we now see a long shot on the man strapped to a chair in a dark and gloomy room.

 A close up of the mans face is then used it is cut and bruised and a lot of blood is on show, this represents danger and makes the audience feel un-easy. Quick shots of the man creaming for help gives a sense of rush and panic to the viewer. Non-diegetic high pitched screeching and banging is then used to create suspense and panic on the audience an extreme close up of the device is then shown, it is covered in sharp nails. A long shot of the man is then shown standing topless and struggling to keep it together is revealed as diegetic white noise is heard as the television in the room shows a close up of a clown face. He explains how the man is in the trap and how the device around his neck works, his voice is deep and husky and puts chills down your spine. It also shows a clip of the mans body from ‘earlier’ this also does the same for the audience.

Studying this opening has helped me realise that not only non diegetic can build tension but think such as heavy breathing; rushing and white noise can even make the audience feel on the edge of their seat. Dark lighting with tints of colour also help the horror as it is more mysterious to watch and keeps the audience un-easy. The point of view camera shots help put the audience is the eyes of the man who was being ‘tortured’ this makes the scene more real for the audience making it more gruesome and terrifying.

Questionaire for target audience

We are producing a horror film opening to fit the age group of 15+. We are going to produce a questionnaire aimed at this age group to see their views and opinions on horror. This will help us achieve the best possible outcome for our film opening. We plan to ask a group of 20 people.

1. How often do you watch horror films?

Not Very Often (4)

Sometimes (9)

Very Often (7)

2. What type of sound do you commonly hear in horror film openings?

Diegetic (3)

Non-Diegetic (12)

Both (5)

3. Do you feel sound affects the tension in horror openings?

Yes (18)

No (2)

4. Which do you feel would be a better affect for a horror opening?

Black and White (13)

Colour (7)

5. What prop do you feel would be most affective for a little girl in a horror opening?

Doll (9)

Teddy Bear (8)

Instrument (3)

6. Do you feel building suspense and mystery is important in a horror film opening?

Yes (19)

No (1)

7. Do you feel there should be a killing in a horror film opening?

Yes (14)

No (6)

Where do you feel a horror setting would be most appropriate?

Inside (11)

Outside (9)

Evaluation:

Using our questionnaire has helped us in constructing our film opening; it has helped us in deciding a lot of aspect to do with the opening including our story line.

Scream.

As we are focusing on producing our horror opening I have analysed another very popular horror film opening, this will help me pick up on ideas of what a horror opening needs to include and also what techniques affect the audience and film in a positive way.

The opening starts showing the title ‘SCREAM’ it is blurred and varies in size, this is shown using a black background with flashing red and blue lights behind, diegetic screaming noises and police sirens are used to represent danger. The scene then starts with a close up of a phone, a pan of the camera then reveals a mid shot of a young teenage girl picking up the phone to a mysterious voice on the other end. 

Throughout the first scene the phone carries on ringing as the girl answers more anxious each time close ups are used to emphasise her emotions and the more the phone rings the more you can see the terror on her face. As there is no non diegetic music or sound the audience is more tense, the phone ringing seems to make me jump every time this shows I am getting more anxious as the scene goes on as you know something is wrong.

After constant phone calls from the mystery antagonist the scene gets more tense as he reveals he is watching her, this is when the non diegetic music picks up with a light piano eery sound, this makes the audience tense and feel on edge. Also the dark lighting helps create the horror scene.

Analysing Horror

After our 'Genre' discussion our decision was to study and create a 2minute Horror movie opening. To help me understand what camera work, mise en scene, sound and editing help create a good horror opening I have picked to analyse the trailer of a extremely popular horror film released in 2010; Strangers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1TBlPelvbE.

The trailer starts using a night time establishing shot of a lake surrounded in trees, this suggests to the audience that the film is set away from the city in quite a remote area. Also non diagetic light piano music is used to set the scene.

A Pan of the camera is then used revealing red petals on a bed as the contrapuntal music continues and a fade to a romantic dinner table is revealed. Cuts are used to view two different characters in a home, a women naked in the bath this suggests her innocence and romance and a smartly dressed male setting a table. A cut of a two shot of them both is then revealed as diagetic sound is used as a close up of the twos arms wrapped round each other whilst stating they 'love' each other. 

In the first 20 seconds of this clip we can now see the wealthy couple are in love they are young and innocent and an 'easy target'. A loud diagetic BANG is then used to make the audience jumps this makes you feel tense and nervous for upcoming events. titles then appear on screen 'based on true events' this now builds more tension as the audience feel more for the characters. 

Cuts of the couple in there home, there back garden shed and the old swings swinging outside are shown between the titles 'We all tell ourselves', 'There is nothing to fear', 'but sometimes.. We're wrong' these quotes involve the audience with the action on screen, the non diagetic music picks up however stops to silence as a long shot of a women standing in her living room is shown as a unknown character exposes them selves slowly behind her.

Throughout this trailer clip, loud noises are used to make the audience jump and build tension; also the characters are shown but not fully revealed this makes the story a mystery to the audience. Quick snap shots of action, dark areas and close ups of scared face are used to help the story line come together without revealing the whole film.

   

Near the end of the clip discordant sound is used this makes the action disturbing for the audience, although antagonists and victims are clearly shown in the clip the story line is not completely revealed, this makes the audience eager to watch more.

Watching this clip helped me build ideas on making our own horror clip as i was able to pick up some useful techniques such as using discordant sound to make the scene on edge and build a disturbing tension to the audience, also quick shots to build tension and loud diagetic sounds to make the audience jump and have them on the edge of their seats.