Evaluation for preliminary task

Evaluation

The positives in my preliminary task was that it had use of match on action, it had shot reverse shot and it was kept at the 180 degree rule. It had controlled use of camera. The narrative made sense. The sound fits the action.

The best part of the film was that it had good panning in which was well thought out. It had good dialogue throughout.

The negatives within the film was that it did not use a variety of shot types and there was no close attention to mise en scene such as that there was a coat on one of the chairs within a frame which did not belong to any of the characters within the film. Also the camera on the tripod shook at the point of the scene at the end which detracts from the film.

preliminary task (final)

preliminary task (final)

Here is my preliminary video.

Codes and conventions of horror films - Narratives

Slasher - This horror sub-genre includes a psychopathic killer, in which they usually wear a mask to cover their identity and also to scare their victims , whom stalks his/her victims  in which is occurred in a series of killings which are brutal and gruesome, which the killer uses their signature weapon (usually a knife or blade) to add more effect to the killings.This sub- genre could have the narrative theory of Vladimir Propp's narrative theory which there are eight character types which this sub-genre contains some of the character types such as: the hero (who fights the villain and saves the day or restores the equilibrium), the villain (who opposes the hero and creates a disequilibrium), the helper (who helps the hero), the donor (who helps the hero by telling them what the villain's weakness is and also them giving the hero a tool or weapon which will aid them to restoring the equilibrium by defeating the villain. Another narrative that could be applied to this sub-genre is the narrative theory from Tzvetan Todorov which his theory suggests that there are five stages to a narrative which are the equilibrium (the balance, which everything is going okay/normal), a disruption to the equilibrium by an event (a problem has arisen and is caused by the antagonist by them affecting victims lives in a negative way), a realization that a disruption to the equilibrium has occurred ( the protagonists has discovered that something is wrong which is being caused by the antagonist/ antagonists), an attempt to repair the damage of the disruption of the equilibrium ( the protagonist(s) try and stop the disruption being caused by the antagonist/ antagonists), a restoration of the equilibrium - which may create a new equilibrium ( the protagonist(s) have fought against the antagonist(s) and have won in which the disruption has ended and the equilibrium is restored or a new equilibrium is created by sometimes this may be temporary due to a potential opportunity for a sequel, i.e. the villain is defeated by the hero, everything has been restored but the villain may be still alive and will return to cause a disruption to the equilibrium once again).

Also another narrative theory that could be used in this sub-genre is the narrative theory from Claude Levi-Strauss which his theory suggests that our world is described in binary opposites, which is also applied to the structure of narratives. there is such binary opposites within this sub-genre which are good/evil, light/dark, young/old, intelligent/stupid, strong/weak, and city/village. Here is some examples of films that portray this sub - genre: Halloween, Friday the 13th, Scream, Texas chainsaw massacre, Nightmare on Elm street, The strangers, and Psycho. 

Paranormal/Supernatural - This horror sub-genre includes the antagonist which is usually a ghost or supernatural beings tormenting a family or a town/ village which has been caused by a curse or by revenge. There is series of mysterious deaths in which the hero/heroes tries to resolve the situation. this sub-genre could also coincide with religious and Sci-Fi.Here are some examples of Paranormal/Supernatural films: Paranormal activity, The grudge, Ring, Insidious, The conjuring, Sinister, The Blair witch project, Woman in black, Amityville horror, The last exorcism, and Haunting in Connecticut.      

The narrative structure for horror has a antagonist which wreaks havoc and chaos in which the hero/heroes try to solve the dilemma which is being caused by the antagonist. The cause of the antagonist may be that they have had a cruel life or have had something tragic that has affected them or have been murdered and seeks revenge on the people who were involved.

The horror genre tries to connect to the audience. The audience may become attached to the characters within the film which may become the victims and throughout the film, there will be tension and suspense as the characters which the audience have become attached to, are in danger. 

Codes and conventions of horror films - iconography

Codes and conventions of horror films - iconography 

Iconography - The key colour used are black and red. Those colours are used because black symbolises sinister, darkness, death, and evilness, where red is used to symbolize blood, danger and also evilness. These colours are reinforced within the film to create these meanings to the audience such as black being used for the colour of the antagonist(s) costume, the setting (night/dark alley ways) and red being used for blood, possibly the antagonist(s) costume and the setting (red carpet and red walls within a house or building).

Also another colour used in horror films is white due to Asian beliefs and cultures of the colour white symbolises death which is portrayed on antagonist(s) costume or just the colour of the actual antagonist(s) i.e. paranormal antagonists such as 'The grudge', 'Ring', and 'Shutter' which are all Asian horror films which are paranormal/supernatural horror films which reinforce this colour. The use of these colours are powerful as it allows the audience to identify what genre they are watching through the use of these meanings through the use of constructions and their representations.

Props are also another significant representation of the horror genre as they are the signature of the horror genre. Certain props are used on specific character types so the audience can identify what each character is i.e. masks, dark or red costumes, weapons such as knifes, saws, or any other various blades is owned by the antagonist(s), different types of lighting is used to create different tones and atmospheres such as low lighting to create shadows and other dark shapes to make the atmosphere more eerie and sinister which can be used so the audience can see the antagonist but not the detail which reinforces the fear of the unknown as they do not know what the antagonist may look like and this leads to the anticipation of what the antagonist looks like.

Codes and conventions of horror films - props

 Props – Weapons that the killer/ villain has ( knife, machete, chainsaw, axe , traps and any other blade type. The killer/ villain have these but does not have a gun is due to using any blade types to inflict a slow painful death to the victim whereas a gun is a short and instant death.

Codes and conventions of characters from horror films - characters from halloween

Codes and conventions of characters from horror films - characters from halloween

Characters from Halloween

- The Antagonist

- The wise elder 

- The final girl

Codes and conventions of characters of horror films - the victims

Codes and conventions of characters of horror films - the victims 

The victims in most horror films usually investigate a strange sound coming from a particular area usually from isolated places i.e. woods,  where the characters inadvertently investigate and then they are attacked by the antagonist which they fall victim to the antagonist.

When the victims are being chased by the antagonist(s) they usually fall over by them tripping over something such as a tree stump or when they are looking behind they run into a tree or a step. This may happen due to it being dark or dimly lit which therefore they are not able to see things clearly and thus they run into various objects.

Also they could fall over through them naturally being clumsy or through them being scared and anxious which will make them have less coordination and having selective attention by them focusing on the antagonist but not focusing on the details of their surroundings there in, which they will be more vulnerable to falling over something. The director does this as it makes the character more vulnerable and creates tension for the audience as the antagonist is getting closer to the character being chased.

Another convention for characters that is used in horror films and mostly used in horror slashers is that the victim hides behind a door or a window in which the antagonist hands break through the door or window and grabs them. This is used to make the victims vulnerable and to create tension and dread for the audience as it is a good opportunity for the audience to jump/startled when the victim is hiding behind the door or near a window in which at the time it is calm and quiet then suddenly a hand or arm or even a weapon breaks through the door or window which then startles the audience.  

Codes and conventions of characters from horror films - the unlikely hero

Codes and conventions of characters from horror films - the unlikely hero 

The unlikely hero is the character which the audience expects who is causing the destruction and havoc due to the way they look and the actions which may involve certain props which the audience may think is significant.

Codes and conventions of characters from horror films - the final girl and the promiscuous girl/woman

The final girl has some masculine traits which becomes more masculine through the film as she becomes more aggressive and more active in which becomes the hero and fights the antagonist instead of the rest of the characters who run and hide away from the antagonist.

The promiscuous girl/woman is normally the first to be killed by the antagonist. 

Codes and conventions of characters from horror films - the protagonist

Codes and conventions of characters from horror films - the protagonist 

The protagonist(s) are usually have the most morals and are the most intelligent out of the rest of the characters or group.The protagonist usually survives and defeats the antagonist. The protagonist is normally male orientated but sometimes it is female orientated which the term described for this is called the 'final girl' (Clover) which is usually found in some horror slasher films. 

Codes and conventions - location and setting

Location and setting – Isolated places (abandoned house/ haunted house, cave, countryside, isolated town). Isolated places are used to make the characters/ victims feel trapped away from civilization and put them in an unknown and unsafe environment which creates more of the vulnerability of the victims.

Codes and conventions of horror slasher - Editing

Editing- Slow editing is used to create suspense, tension, and an unsettling feeling for the audience as they are expecting something to happen which will make them scared or frightened, which creates dread for the audience. Also this makes the audience feel relaxed and comfortable and then something on screen makes them jump.

Codes and conventions of a horror slasher - Camera angles/shots

Codes and conventions of a horror slasher - Camera angles/shots

 Camera angles/shots – The use of high and low angle shots makes the characters either more superior or inferior, the use of point of view shots is to make the audience see through the eyes of the villain/ killer or even the victim in which the audience can put themselves in the victim’s shoes and empathise with the victim when they are in danger and also makes the audience experience fear and intensity. The use of hand held camera movement makes the audience feel the danger of the situation and it also creates a sense of unease. Also the use of tilted/canted shot is used to create a sense of unease to the audience, which is also to create an unsettling atmosphere.

media studies - preliminary and main task

Preliminary task

People who are participating within the group of three is me (Jacque) , Nathan, and Calvin.

Ideas 

·      Title – The interview

·      It is an interview for a job or music band

·      Interview between two to three people

·      Setting – room with a table and chairs

·      Costume – suits / formal clothes or casual clothes

·      Hair – neat or casual

·      Props – clip board, suit case, pen and possibly a laptop or a sheet of questions

·      Camera shots/ camera movements – shot reverse shot, over the shoulder shot, point of view shot when opening door, match on action of using the door handle to open the door which is supported by the point of view shot, camera at static point. Also use the 180 degree rule.

·      Sound – diegetic and dialogue

Plan 

 The narrative is that a teenage boy who is seventeen who attends college in which he is going to a casual interview about a placement within a college band. The interviewer (whom is the same age) and the interviewee are discussing the certain requirements needed about the placement and the interviewer asking the interviewee various questions in relation to the band. 
The setting is going to be a small room within the college which contains a table and a few chairs for the interview in which is the appropriate setting for a casual interview. 
The costumes for the characters is casual everyday wear in which is appropriate for the interview as it is casual.
There is only one prop that is going to be used and that is a sheet which contains some questions and requirements based upon the band that the interviewer is going to use for the interview. 
some of the camera shots that are going to be used is match on action when the interviewee opens the door, over the shoulder shot which will be supported by a shot reverse shot which is going to be used for conversational purposes and it will be the main shot used within the film as most of the film is an interview (conversational situation), a long shot of the interviewee walking to the room of where the interview is going to take place. the camera will be at a static point as over the shoulder shot and shot reverse shot requires that as if it was hand held, the audience would find it hard to watch as it is hard to focus on what is going on within the film. Also the film will follow the 180 degree rule as it will help the audience make sense of the eye line between two people talking.

here is the story board for the preliminary task.


  story board sheet
directions,dialogue, camera, music,
special effects (sfx) 

box 1 - Interviewee walking out of door,long shot and panning 
box 2 - Interviewee walking towards door, long shot, and zooming in.
box 3 - Interviewee opening door, opening door, diegetic sound of opening the door.
box 4 - Interviewer telling interviewee "to take a seat". Long shot of interviewer.
box 5 - Interviewee walking to chair.
box 6 - Interviewee taking a seat. interviewer "your Calvin right".
box 7 - Interviewee - dialogue
box 8 - Over the shoulder shot, shot reverse shot. Dialogue - Interviewee continuous through conversation.
box 9 - Interviewee walking to door, interviewer dialogue, over the shoulder shot.
box 10 - Over the shoulder shot, diegetic sound of door closing.    

Main task

·      Genre – horror

·      Number of actors – four

·      Setting/ location – woods and college

·      The main protagonist will be a slasher/ killer or a supernatural entity

·      Time – late afternoon, early evening

·      Characters – the protagonist ( killer/ supernatural entity), two males and a female aged 17 – 19

·      Costume – the students will be wearing everyday casual clothes, the killer will be wearing a sinister looking mask. Also wearing dark clothing.

·      Colour used – black and red which symbolises darkness, horror and blood

·      Camera shots/camera movement – canted/ tilted shots which creates an uneasy feeling to the audience, hand held (camera movement), shot on floor of killer’s feet to his calves from behind in which shows the corridor with the victim(s) at the end of the corridor, also a point of view of the killer when walking from the woods towards the students, mid shot of students talking outside the college

·      Sound – dietetic, static when monitors turn off

·      Lighting – dark/ dim

·      Font of title credits – red with smooth corners which symbolises blood and also subliminally tells the audience what the fate could be for the characters within the film/ extract.