Final Horror Film

Evaluation Question 3 - Ryan Oldham

The target audience for our horror film would be young adults and older teenagers, around the age of 15-30 years old. I know this as the most frequent age of people that go to the cinema to see horror films fit into this age bracket, the youngest anyone would be able to see the film would have to start at 15 as this is the age rating that we agree'd to give the film. An example of other films that we looked at that had a suitable 15 rating would be Poltergeist and The Grudge. 
















This bar chart shows the ratings for The Grudge and the frequency of people who went to see the film. Typically, the under 18's rated the film higher than people older however there was a lot less people seeing it (518) as opposed to people aged 18-29 (23,154). The gender seemed to be more popular in males however the figures were still relatively balanced.

The dominant ideology shows people aged 15-30 are often a lot more adventurous and take more risks than people older than this age bracket, resulting in them being the main target audience for the films as they are the ones who are willing to push their limits and sit through the high tension within a horror film. The majority of the male audience are thought to watch horror films as one of the main conventions is the victim being a desirable young female role that will keep their attention. This can be seen in films such as The Ring, an example is the picture to the left.

We will use this information to our advantages by basing many of the conventions around this age group. An example of this would be that we are going to use a female of the same age as the audience for the victim role. This will help the audience become more involved in the film narrative and exaggerate the emotions that will be conveyed.

We will also use points from reviews of other films, in this case The Grudge. As quoted above "What makes it scary is the way the ghost is presented (Kayako Fuji) is presented. Those Eyes." shows that we need to focus on how we use make up for the threat in our horror film. We will also put a lot of enthuses on the eyes so they stand out in low light.

Evaluation part 2 Georgie Holmes

7. During the process of our practical in Media, creating this short introduction to a horror film. I have learnt many news forms and skills using different technologies for example; Blogger, Imovie and Garageband. Using these different technologies have helped to create the atmosphere and tension for my film, for example Garageband was great for creating a horror soundtrack which is played in the background of our film. The use of soundtracks like the 'string instruments' and 'Base' really work well to create a tense piece of music with the use of high pitch cords that sound like a 'scream'. Although we felt that having unnatural events we wanted to use instruments in the Synth Textures, as they were interesting. Listening back to the soundtrack it is effective as it keeps you on edge at all times, creating the ghostly atmosphere intended.

Throughout creating our soundtrack I was fascinated with the Synth Textures- Izmir Ambience, because when I was playing with the different keys, I felt that this was perfect for our Ghostly feel. I changed the cords a lot to get both a lower and higher pitch to make the track more tense.  

This is a screen capture of the process
of making my music track for our film
using garage band. 

Working with Blogger helped me and Ryan to keep in control of our coursework (planning, research, evaluations, etc) as it was a very easy and quick piece of technology to organise and 'blog' your work. It has been great to work with and I would be more than happy to work with this website in the future for many different reasons as it is extremely helpful.
Imovie was good to work with as it gave you the opportunity to create a film using the different edits like; 'Fast/Slow speed' and 'colour balance midtones' these are a couple of edits that we have used in our film. As well as the editing, getting on track with the cutting and splitting of each shot was extremely easy and quick to learn and I enjoyed trying out these new skills. Imovie was good, but near the end we did have a few problems with it as it began to crash and loose work that we had previously done. But with these faults it helped us to learn from the problems that had occurred and make sure that we were saving every time we created or changed something, which was ok.

This is what we used for editing, to make
the pace for the title sequence run faster
keeping the audience on edge. 

On here I have shown what we used for editing our film, to make it the correct length and how to cut the shots from one to the other, at a fast and slow pace depending on the atmosphere being created. The majority of the time, we used the cut key and the Split to tidy the shots ready to edit and create a ghostly film.

Using these technologies to create our horror film helped us to improve our control over the work we were creating, as it kept us in an organised structure as we kept on track of everything we had done. Making sure that we were taking everything one step at a time. At first after shooting our film, we spent quality time organising our film and starting to cut it to make sure it was just under 2 minutes.

8. Working with both our production and the preliminary task there were a few differences for example, with the preliminary task it was both mine and Ryan’s first time using Imovie and Garageband therefore we struggled and had to learn a lot of new skills ready for creating a film of our own. It didn't take long to learn how to use to technologies and software on the Macs and was easy to work with.

This was the scribbely writing that
inspired our Title sequence from the
Preliminary Task.

The preliminary task was a great advantage for me and Ryan as it gave us ideas for our initial ideas, we liked some of their ideas, we took them on board and briefly used them to change and improve our own ideas and designs for our film. For example, with the preliminary task, their title sequence was very interesting with the scribbled writing which links in to horror as it seems quite un natural and surreal, this inspired us to create our own design with the victim writing the title and other information, to help you as the audience be aware that she is not all there anymore as something has made her turn the way she is. As well as that doing that practical before creating our own, helped us to achieve the skills we needed and improve on our work, to eventually make a thrilling horror film.

If we were to do the production again, I think the first thing I would change is our plot by making it more interesting and frightening, not giving to much away keeping the audience wanting to know more. As well as the plot/storyline. I would like to have worked in a scary, older and grand house, as this would have been a stereotypical place to film but you could do so much with it, and the shots being used. I would make sure we use a lot more close ups to attract the audience, getting as much detail in the threats body language and facial expressions as we could to increase the suspense.

This was the location we filmed at and as you see if doesn't look quite as affective as if it was set in an grand, old and frightening house. With using a bigger house it would be more realistic and scary. The positive side about using a modern house in a horror film, is that it is unexpected and the audience will feel tense and nervous at the idea of it happening to them. But to make ours more dramatic we would change the location,

9. My Contribution towards the Practical.

In the process of the practical, we both took the time to contribute in the work, to make sure that we would come out with a successful film in the end. Although we both took the time to work, I took on the role of the leader and made sure that I completed everything that was set. I organised when and where we were going to film and meet for planning. As I am a very organised person, we both felt that it would be best if I found locations that in the end we could both agree on the final place.

In my spare time, I took these photos for our recee, so we could physically see where we would be shooting which was good to make sure we were prepared. 

   During the planning, I said before, I found the location to use, both in the production and preliminary task. We both shared the planning but discussing our work together after we had done it to make sure we were both happy with everything. Along with the recee I did the lighting as they were both included in the similar task. I looked at what natural lighting we could use and what lighting we had in the location and this was very useful for our final filming.

This was the lighting sheet that I filled out. 

In the process of writing our script and developing our story board we shared the work out evenly, to make sure it was fair and that we were both bringing our ideas together.

These are a few of the sheets that I did to put towards the planning of our film. I completed all of the shot list, after we had put the work together.

   In the production, I did all the filming and make up, while Ryan looked after the storyboard and shot list, making sure we were on task and preventing continuity errors and focusing on the lighting and sound. It was interesting and fun to work with the camera (filming) because when we did the Preliminary task I didn't really use the camera, as I was more the director, but I was able to learn new skills and gradually have improved. This time I was both the cameraman and Director making sure that everything was running smoothly.
 After filming at the location, we made sure that we both worked hard on the editing and sound, Ryan worked well on the editing, and was very successful. I worked on the sound and came out with a good result. We both thought it was important to learn new skills.

Re-shoot Editing

While editing the re-shoot we have identified that we need to use a wider variety of shots to keep the target audience's interests. We felt that filming more close ups of the victims face and body will help have a huge impact on the audience keeping them in suspense as we come to the climax. 

Title Sequence ideas

This is our brainstorm for the title sequence to introduce our film, we wanted it to impact the audience by making them want to know more, about the victim and her troubles. We brainstormed ideas which could create a 'ghostly' theme, helping link to our pyschological horror. We kept it 20 seconds because we felt any longer would be too long, but long enough to attract the audiences attention. 

Title Research

At the beginning of our practical in preparation for film making. We watched a few introduction clips to horror films to help us brainstorm ideas for the title sequence that we would be making in the future. We wanted ours to have a ghostly but confusing affect to keep the audience wanting to watch more.

Storyboard sequence

This is our storyboard which we are using to help create our short horror film. While creating the storyboard the two of us really wanted to focus on how we can attract the audiences attention. We decided that using a variety of shots like Long Shots and Close Ups, will affect the audience, as they are able to focus on the body language and fear of the victim, making them feel like they are in danger, like 'Ellie' our victim.  

Step Outline Sound

This is the step outline to the sound for our film. Sound is one of the most important aspects of the horror film to make the audience feel uncomfortable and feel very tense. We are creating a ghostly soundtrack to help link in the the narrative and storyline, getting faster and higher at dramatic points. We also are hoping to create voices that go on inside the victims head to show that she is unstable and a very nervous character.

Shot List

This is the shot list which is important when shooting our film as we can look at the shots and see where the camera and tripod needs to be placed. It helps the filming to be a lot more simpler and easy going.

Script

Creating the script was the first thing we worked on together after all the planning. When we were writing the script we felt that it was important to focus on the characters and how the victim and the threat can make a horror. Writing it up we had images in our head from brainstorming our ideas and we wanted to make sure that we chose the correct shots and that the pace would be correct to enable that is identified horror. 

Release Form

With this form, we were able to use the cast we wanted and make a date or shooting with our cast present.  

Recee Sheets

Our recee sheet enabled us to picture our film before we shot it. The images of the location were very helpful as we could identify where the camera could be placed keeping to the 180 degree line making sure that we didn't break it, which could cause continuity errors. It also helped us know where to place any extra lighting and how to use them to create the shots we wanted, for example 'how to create the shadowing of the threat'.  

Production Schedule

Our production schedule helped us to be more organised and prepared when we created our film, as it enabled us to know when we were filming and whether we were able to film at the location we wanted or not.

Peek-a-boo title designs

When designing the title we wanted to make sure that it represented a ghostly, psychological theme, and by this we created Peek-a-Boo using a wavey font, with a dark shadowing behind to add the idea that there is a ghostly threat watching you. This is what we want to audience to feel like when watching our film.

Equipment

The equipment that we are using to create the film, will help create the horror film we are hoping for, because of the use of shots and angles we can use of the 'camera' and 'tripod' aswell as that equipment we want to try out different lights and the impact it has on us as the audience when we are filming. Ready for our audience to watch.

Make Up Design

The first sheet for the make up design was the threat in the film IT and he had a big impact on the ideas for our film. He looks very powerful and scary and this inspired our work and the threat being a clown in our own film. When we deisgned the makeup for the threat, we used bold colours which would attract the audience when we used a close up at the end of our short film of the clown, because it is dramatic and will frighten the audience.

Location

When deciding the location for our horror film we wanted the location to be related to the audience watching to make them feel uneasy and fearful because of the threat involved with the location. Having a clown 'haunt' the household we felt that this could be effective and also make the victim look weak and vulnerable.

Lighting Design

When deciding what lights to use and how to make it a dark and threatening atmosphere we decided that using natural light and the lights from the house would be the most effective as they bring the threat to reality, making the audience feel uncomfortable as they feel that this could happen to them. We also wanted to use the touches as they created a great shadowing effect when shooting the clown. 

Initial Ideas

We chose to make a physiological horror film as we thought it would be the most realistic sub-genre that we could create with a strong sense of realism. We chose to use a girl because of the dominant ideologies   and so it would be conventional of the horror genre.

Film Outline Sheet 2

At the end of our film opening we fade the screen to black, the reassures the audience that the scene has ended to avoid confusion.

Health and Safety

We ensured that the area that we filmed in was a safe environment with no health hazards. We also made sure that no props or equipment that we used could become a danger.