Researching A Genre: Horror

Researching genres: Horror

In the genre horror the most important and popular films are:

·         The exorcist (1973)

·         Psycho (1960)

·         Night of the living dead (1968)

·         Halloween (1978)

·         The Texas chain saw massacre (1974)

Horror has changed over the years as horror is based on society and whatever the threat is in society has an influence in the horror genre. Early horror films were more based on monsters, murderers, demons, beasts and ghost stories. Then sound transformed the horror genre as they were able to make the audience scream through the use of sound. Then Unlike the monsters of previous horror cycles, Norman Bates was rooted in reality, an everyday human on the outside but a psychological monster in the mind. Hitchcock would deliver another natural horror with The Birds in 1963. Then different types of horror were made each taking a scarier step.

The key conventions of horror:

·         Isolation is key, making the audience feel like the characters are alone. For example Alley ways, run down houses, hotels & Insane Asylums.

·         Dark Scenes

·         A victim

• High and low angles can suggest nightmares/surrealness.
• POV shots allow the audience to see through the characters eyes therefore putting themselves within the film.
• Depth of field allows things to approach the camera slowly therefore causing suspense.
• Handheld shots can help disorientate the audience.
• Exaggerated diegetic sound will allow tension to build within the film world.
• Fast and loud non diegetic sound can add to making the audience jump or feel scared.

The target audience for horrors is usually 16-40 year olds.

Evaluation of Preliminary Task

From looking over my prelimanry I have began to understand what makes a good film and what doesn't. I think the success of this film was the varied camera shots we used however we still need to add a match on action shot to achieve the best we could. Another would be the filters we used over the top to cause affect with the spooky filter over the character standing in the road. The failures would be storyline I think, as for audience watching it it could be confusing of what the story line is and where it is going to go with the rest of the film. Another thing I would like to change is the dialogue as I would prefer to have none as it makes it more effective and as I am no actress feel like my role in it wasn't ver successful. Overall I do think there are things in my preliminary task that will need improving to have it full potential and show my media skills as I don't think it is suggesting that at the moment.

Preliminary Task

Preliminary Task Shot List

shot list

Lighting&Sound Test Location 1

Lighting and sound tests for location 1 (outside school). We experimented with different locations nearby school. We found that some locations worked better than others as in the more busy loud areas it was difficult to hear people talking. However we will edit unneeded sounds out.

                                                                                     

Preliminary Task Location Sheet

This is our groups Recce sheet for location 2 to ensure everything is ok to shoot here.

Preliminary Task Storyboard

This is my groups storyboard just a basic outline of the events featured in our preliminary task.

Lighting&Sound Check

This is lighting and sound test for location 2 its appropriate to use as the lighting makes it clear to see and the sound is clear for the audience. We are going to edit a bell tone over the shot.                                                                                                 

Preliminary Task Treatment&Plot Synopsis

Media studies preliminary task

Treatment

As a group we created a short film that would allow us to experiment and test different shots and movements. We decided to focus on a scene where the characters are in conflict but as an audience we are unaware of what caused the conflict.

Plot synopsis

Firstly, we see three girls walking towards each other on their way to school (two of which are against the other, for a reason which is unknown). The two girls stop and have a conversation about the events of the previous night, they then carry on walking. In a master shot, the three girls are all walking towards the same spot, when the singular girl receives a text from an unknown number. At the point in which the text is received, all of the girls are face to face at the corner of the road. The camera then zooms into the singular girl’s eye to show that there is conflict, the camera then zooms into the other girl’s eyes so that the audience know that the two girls are against the one. The bell then rings to indicate the start of the school day.