Choosing our Media Institution distributor

Whilst producing our opening we looked at film openings simliar to ours and also looked at who they were distributed by. This gave us an idea of what media instituion we would aim to distribue our film. We wanted the films we looked at to include a young child, similar settings and  uses similar techniques.

We found three different films we thought matched around the same story line or use of charecters, used techniques we felt had an impact on the film and audience and matched our idea of a good horror film.

The Grudge;

Distributed by Columbia Pictures, it involves a little ghost like girl and also has the use of jump cuts which help create the ghost like affect.We took this idea and inbeaded it within our clip helping us create a good horror opening. The storyline consisted of a young ghost like girl commiting murders on the other main charecters in the film. This is what we have based our film on picking up techniques and effects to make our film opening as scary as possible.

Columbia Pictures have also distributed many other high budget sucsesful films such as: The messengers and 30 Days of Night, theese both hit the big screens making big money! We feel our film would fit in with Columbia pictures as it has a complex and unrealistic story line it also involves indepth editing and mainly focusing on horror and exciting and entertaining the audience.
As the company is an American company we feel this helps aim our film to entertain the audience and focus on the horror of the film as Traditional English horrors focus on comical aspects and are usually alternative. This is not what we were aiming for therefore felt an American company such as Columbia Pictures to distribute our film would benefit us.

Location Shots.

As our film is set in a school and is also a horror we had to pick dark areas of the school to cerate a eeri horror effect. Also our film included CCTV we had to find where was best for the cameras to be placed for teh action to look effective. We also had to use two offices in our film opening ; a work office and a security office, theese both had to not be too clustered and look like porffesional enviorments.
Here are the pcitures:

This is the school corridor we have tried not to get too much of the light in to keep it as dark as possible to create a better effect.

This is the second corridor that we will be using also here we have kept minimal light to create a horror effect, when empty and dark the corridor looks lonley and dark this the horror effect we were looknig for.

This is the first CCTV shot of corridor one, we found this was the best angle to collect all of the action without letting in too much light and loosing the effect.

This is the second CCTV shot of corridor two again we have also cut out as much light a viewed as much corridor as possible to catch all action and horror. 

This is the work office we used it had to not look too clustered but still professional we are filming threw the door to create the effect of someone watching the charecter. The lighting is also dim and the surroundings looks proffesional.

This is the security room, although plain it helps to attract the audience to the action on screen, also as the area is dark it makes the area seem more vunerable and lonely.

This is the third CCTV shot. It is of the security office however, we can also see outside the room where we are planning on having the 'ghost' girl popping up.



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.