Wednesday, 25 February 2015

CLOSED BLOG NOTIFICATION

CENTRE NAME: NORBURY MANOR BEC
CENTRE NUMBER: 14343
CANDIDATE NAME: LOIS DOUGLAS
CANDIDATE NUMBER: 9511
UNIT: G324

Monday, 9 February 2015

Evaluation Question One



This video is in response to my first evaluation question. I have explored the ways in which my group and I have linked all three ancillary texts to real media texts. I talk about many subversion's we did undergo and various conventions we took from other real media texts to link it to the horror genre as much as possible. I talk about horror movies, posters and magazine I gained inspiration from when creating my three ancillary texts with my group. As well as my evaluation being a video, it is also an audio response. As you can see from the video, I picked out many key words that linked to my research such as 'final girl' and 'blood and gore'. This was a narrative theory I researched from Carol J Clover which was convention we wanted to use in our horror trailer. Blood and gore is iconography in which many horror movies use as a key symbol of death and violence. I looked at narrative theorists such as Vladimir Todorov's equilibrium which moves the narrative forward. This is examples that I incorporated into my work.

BBFC Classification

This is information I gathered from the BBFC website http://www.bbfc.co.uk/


The U Symbol stands for universal. It also means that the film should be suitable for audiences age four years and over. It is impossible to predict what might upset a particular child, especially at this lower end of the category range. Characters may be seen kissing or cuddling and there may be references to sexual behavior. However, there will be no overt focus on sexual behavior, language or innuendo.  

PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. A PG film should not unsettle a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content may upset younger, or more sensitive, children. A PG film will not contain any theme which is inappropriate for a child. PG works can explore challenging issues such as bullying, bereavement or racism.

Films classified 12A and video works classified 12 contain material that is not generally suitable for children aged under 12. No one younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. Adults planning to take a child under 12 to view a 12A film should consider whether the film is suitable for that child. To help them decide, we recommend that they check the BBFC insight for that film in advance.


Films classified 12A and video works classified 12 contain material that is not generally suitable for children aged under 12. No one younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. Adults planning to take a child under 12 to view a 12A film should consider whether the film is suitable for that child. To help them decide, we recommend that they check the BBFC insight for that film in advance.


Reasons For Making Our Trailer A 15 Rated

Wednesday, 4 February 2015

Some Feedback From Our Horror Trailer Premiere


The Chain Movie Premiere


The chain movie trailer premiere from loisdouglas01

Here is a the presentation I made to present to our audience at our horror movie trailer premiere. I spoke about our target audience which were 15-20 year olds. As of that reason, my group and I chose to invite that age group to our movie trailer premiere. I speak about theorists we looked at in order to achieve our main intentions. As we gathered information from theorist Paul Wells about audience theory, we gathered that we should use 15-20 year olds as they were the most accessible to the horror genre and us in general. We intended to make our sub-genre a supernatural horror, but we wanted to mix it with the hybrid of a slasher. As we used an apparition (ghost) in our trailer, this linked to our narrative. We gathered that this was a typical element used in horror films. We used iconography such as blood, candles, a knife and a graveyard which is also typical aspects used in horror films. I then went on to talk about horror films that have inspired us. Those were, The Woman In Black (2012), Carrie (1976), Annabelle (2014) and Scream (1996). 

Tickets For Our Horror Trailer Premiere


Tuesday, 3 February 2015

Percentages From Questionnaire

Questionnaire Analysis Four

Film Trailer Questions

1. How old are you?

15

2. Do you normally watch films from the horror genre?

Yes

3. What elements did you notice in our trailer that you have seen in others?

Scary music

4.What was the most memorable moment in the trailer in your opinion?

The elements when she screamed at the end.

5. Did you feel the trailer was scary?

Yes

Please explain why (in one or two sentences)

Because when she screamed at the end.

6. Did you enjoy the trailer?

Yes

Please explain why (in one or two sentences)

It was scary.

7. What do you think the story was actually about?

The paranormal and devil.

8. How would you change this trailer?

Make it more scarier.

9. Overall what do you rate our trailer?

4 stars

Poster Questions

10. Do you think the poster is realistic?

Yes

11.What do you like most about it?

The screaming.

Magazine Questions

1. Does the trailer link to the magazine and poster?

Yes

2. What is effective about the horror magazine?

Tagline

3. What stands out on our magazine the most?

The girl

4. Do you think that it looks similar to real media texts? (other horror magazines)

Yes

Questionnaire Analysis Three

Film Trailer Questions

1. How old are you?

18

2. Do you normally watch films from the horror genre?

Yes

3. What elements did you notice in our trailer that you have seen in others?

Religious objects – The chain

4. What was the most memorable moment in the trailer in your opinion?

The religious readings by Sharna.

5. Did you feel the trailer was scary?

Yes

Please explain why (in one or two sentences)

Sharna was all alone, solitude. When someone is alone, it’s more scary.

6. Did you enjoy the trailer?

Yes

Please explain why (in one or two sentences)

Intense, it was gripping.

7. What do you think the story was actually about?

Demons

8. How would you change this trailer?

More jumpy.

9. Overall what do you rate our trailer?

3 stars

Poster Questions

10. Do you think the poster is realistic?

Yes

11.What do you like most about it?

Magazine Questions

1. Does the trailer link to the magazine and poster?

Yes

2. What is effective about the horror magazine?

Masthead

3. What stands out on our magazine the most?

Picture

4. Do you think that it looks similar to real media texts? (other horror magazines)

Yes

Questionnaire Analysis Two

Film Trailer Questions

1. How old are you?

18

2. Do you normally watch films from the horror genre?

No

3. What elements did you notice in our trailer that you have seen in others?

Weapons & Dark lighting & Religious objects.

4. What was the most memorable moment in the trailer in your opinion?

When Dawn choked Sharna. 

5. Did you feel the trailer was scary?

Yes 

Please explain why (in one or two sentences)

The chase scene and the various choke scenes. Also the prayer scene. 

6. Did you enjoy the trailer?

Yes 

Please explain why (in one or two sentences)

Wouldn't use that, just for credits. 

7. What do you think the story was actually about?

Sharna being haunted by the previous owner of the necklace. 


8. How would you change this trailer?


9. Overall what do you rate our trailer?

3/4 stars

Poster Questions 

10. Do you think the poster is realistic?

Yes 

11. What do you like most about it?

Makeup 

Magazine Questions

1. Does the trailer link to the magazine and poster?

Yes 

2. What is effective about the horror magazine?

Central image

Masthead

3. What stands out on our magazine the most?

The ‘Empire’

4. Do you think that it looks similar to real media texts? (other horror magazines)

Yes 

Questionnaire Analysis

Film Trailer Questions


1. How old are you?

17


2. Do you normally watch films from the horror genre?

No


3. What elements did you notice in our trailer that you have seen in others?


Blood and w
eapons

4. What was the most memorable moment in the trailer in your opinion?


Dawn grabbing her face in slow motion

5. Did you feel the trailer was scary?
 

Yes

Please explain why (in one or two sentences)


Because it all linked really well, it felt realistic.

6. Did you enjoy the trailer?


Yes

Please explain why (in one or two sentences)

Because the story line was really clear.

7. What do you think the story was actually about?

A girl who took a necklace from a grave and the woman is coming to haunt her.

8. How would you change this trailer?



Make the cuts a bit more slow/smooth. 

9. Overall what do you rate our trailer?


4 stars


Poster Questions

10. Do you think the poster is realistic?


Yes


11. What do you like most about it?


It looks really scary


Magazine questions


1. Does the trailer link to the magazine and poster?


Yes

2. What is effective about the horror magazine?


Central image


3. What stands out on our magazine the most?


The villain looks deluded.


4. Do you think that it looks similar to real media texts? (other horror magazines)


Yes 

Wednesday, 28 January 2015

Flat Plan For Horror Magazine



Here is the flat plan for our horror trailer in which a group member of mine and I created together. As you can see, there has been some colour added to the flat plan so that it gives a rough idea of where the text and images will go. We have decided to use 'Empire' for our trailer to feature on as they are well known for producing horror magazines. We have placed out the text and images similar to other horror magazines we did our research on, for instance an Empire magazine which was adverting the movie the 'Dark Knight' used a lot of catchy slogans which linked with the horror genre. This allowed my group and I to come up with a catchy tag line such as 'Evil Never Dies'. We also want to include the slogan 'Cooking for cannibals' as it links to our trailer as there is an apparition which comes back to haunt a character in our trailer. Hopefully this will look successful when we produce the final magazine given the plan we already have. We also intend to use a lot of Photoshop techniques to add effects to the central image to make it look creepy.

Movie Titles For Our Trailer


Movie Titles For Horror Trailer by loisdouglas01

It has not quite yet been finalised whether we are going to use these exact movie titles in our end product for our horror trailer as there are some faults to them at this stage. The titles need to have motion to them as this is a typical horror convention I have researched and noted whilst watching horror trailers on television. I have noticed that horror movies such as the 2012 horror movie, 'Woman In Black' use movement when presenting a title in the trailer which is very ominous. We need to use this aspect as we want to meet the horror genre and audience members will be able to know what genre our trailer is without us telling them. Also, I am unsure about the titles, I do not know whether I like them or not. I feel that they need to be a lot more scary and have a significant quote which we as a group could then go on to use for our movie poster as a tag line. Once we change the movie titles and add in some motion, we can then get some feedback so that we can use them in our final product.

http://www.dailymotion.com/loisdouglas01

Tuesday, 27 January 2015

Final Movie Poster







































Here is our final movie poster for 'The Chain'. I really think that the layout and image is effective as it highlights a lot of iconography such as blood and sets a vision of the 'unknown' or the 'other'. As the villain is holding the chain, the chain is obviously symbolic as it is the title of our movie. I think that the shot that has been taken is very interesting as the villain looks suspicious and extremely horrifying. Obviously, this is the intention we wanted as we want to meet the horror genre that will coincide with the typical elements. We have received some feedback from teachers and their comments were that the 'full stop after evil never dies' needs to be removed as it does not look effective and no other horror poster has that convention'. We decided to remove the full stop and change the font at the bottom of the poster as it is not clear and does not look very effective. We need to change the date because it appears as February 2014 which is not intentional. In fact we want it to be the 14th of February as in Valentines Day, so we have to change that to make it clear and precise.

Logo Lionsgate



As you can see from above, here is the logo in which will be the feature at the beginning of our horror trailer. We have decided to use the company Lionsgate as our production company as they are well known for producing horror trailers such as the recent horror film, Jessabelle. I feel that this is a good link to our horror trailer as we are linking real media texts together by using the same production company. Audiences will hopefully see the effect in which we aimed to create. I have imported this logo into Premiere so that it will feature on our edit. As you can see from the first two seconds, the screening is dark and quite gothic. As our trailer genre is horror, this interlinks well so that audiences can make apparent what genre our trailer is. I believe that this logo looks effective as the music is quite sinister at the beginning which conveys an adventure about to occur. The adventure in this case, would be the victim running away from the villain as she now becomes stalked and watched.

Movie Poster FlatPlan

























As you can see from above, here is our movie poster flat plan which we hope that our final movie poster will look similar too. As you can see, we have the tagline 'evil never dies' which links to movie trailer as this is a movie title. The villain is holding the necklace which is symbolic as our trailer is about a chain in which a girl takes from near a graveyard unaware that the chain is someones that she got given by her lover. The whole reason for The Chain to come out on Valentines Day is that it is a symbolism of love as a woman got given it by her lover and then she died and he put it on her grave stone. She then comes back to haunt the person that removed it from her grave stone. A picture of the Villain with blood on it is intended to be used as this is iconography that we will be using to show that this person is coming back from the dead and the fact that they are a villain. As the villain usually has blood on their face, it gives a sense that they have killed someone or that they are evil or classed as the 'other'.

Print Screens Whilst In The Process Of Editing



















I've print screened my process of editing the horror trailer. As you can see from above, I have inserted a green colour matte over a scene which is made to appear as if it's been shot at night. This will give a perception of a night vision as the green is quite vivid and creepy. We want to meet the horror genre as a typical convention from a horror film would be that the villain comes to haunt the victim when no one is around because it is dark and night time. This could link to 1996 horror film Scream, as the villain comes to haunt the victim at night, knowing that no one is going to be around to save her. In our trailer, the villain comes to haunt the final girl at night time and attempts to strangle her. Knowing that no one would be around to say the victim, she has to fend for herself by trying to escape from the villain and fight back. There is always this typical battle between the victim and the villain. The victim is always suspected to win in order to achieve her title as the 'final girl'. This might be the case in our trailer, but we are using Roland Barthes' enigma code.

Thursday, 22 January 2015

Unfinished Horror Trailer



Here is our unfinished horror trailer I exported today. As you can see, it is looking quite bland and lacking a lot of detail. Unfortunately there is not a lot of blood and iconography, which I feel we might need to add some extra shots we took to make our trailer 'complete'. However, I like the setting as the colour shade on most of the scenes are quite dark which adds an effect to a typical horror trailer in which we intended to convey. I think that this may be able to work as our end product if we tweaked it a little, adding more dramatic music and faster shots which will meet the typical horror requirements. We also need a bit more blood and iconography as I feel that we're slacking on that aspect at the moment. As this is not fully our horror trailer and only 14 seconds long, it is technically a teaser trailer which aims to give you a sense of what the outcome of the trailer intends to bring to audiences. We want our audience to be drawn into watching our trailer from the very opening scene and hope that it looks very realistic.

Wednesday, 21 January 2015

Music Used In Our Trailer

 
Here is the music we are going to use in our horror trailer. As it is labelled 'Scary Chase Music', this was intentional as we want to meet the horror genre. This music is extremely sinister and has a sense to make an audience member feel on edge as it is quite daunting and menacing. We decided to import it into Premiere for our trailer, as we want to have this drive which will keep audience members watching our trailer. This also links in to our chase scene as the music begins to speed up as the victim is being chased by the villain. This is a typical horror aspect as there is always conventionally a 'chase' scene which can really drive the narrative. It is used to keep audience members watching as they want to know what is going to happen to villain, asking questions about whether they are going to get killed or not. This also highlights Roland Barthes' enigma code because it makes audiences ask the question, who done it? As the villain in our trailer's identity is hidden at first, this will interlink with his theory as no one will know who the villain really is.

Wednesday, 14 January 2015

Print Screens For Our Trailer



Here are all the shots we have taken for our trailer. We highlighted the shots that we wanted to use in our trailer so that we could import them a lot more easily. As you can see, most of the shots appear the same in which we wanted in case we wanted to action match a shot or use a similar shot which might have not worked before. The first shots didn't work as some of them were out of focus or badly placed on the tripod. As some of the typing on my print screens are quite small, here are some of the quotes I stated 'I felt that this clip wouldn't work as the character had her back towards the audience and we wanted the audience to see the chain which is symbolic as it  is the main symbol in our trailer'. & 'You can see the characters shoes in these shots which doesn’t look very professional as she is supposed to be a dead person. The best image would be if she looked as if she’s just come back from the dead with no shoes on'. 

Timeline Of Our Trailer



As you can see from above, here is the timeline of our trailer in which our narrative will follow. As we have a close deadline, we decided to import all of the clips we intend to use in the final trailer. We will show our target audience this video so that they can give us feedback. We will therefore use their feedback and insert it into our trailer so that it looks more successful. At the moment, I believe that our rough cut of our trailer looks decent but could look a lot more effective. I believe that when we begin to insert more horror genre iconography, it will look more effective and meet the typical horror genre conventions. I also believe that the lighting in the trailer needs to be different which should be quite dark and eerie which will hopefully meet the horror genre aspects. There needs to be faster scenes which will build up tension and then we should have a cliffhanger which leaves audiences wanting more as they obviously suspect bad things to happen to the victim. If we make all of these changes, our trailer could be successful.

Updated Shot/Prop List

























As you can see from this post, this is the updated shooting schedule in which my group and I will undergo when filming next. We have set out this schedule in order to be able to tell when group members are free to shoot for the trailer. Luckily we have a lot of time together to shoot so that our trailer will be in the editing process soon. As we have planned out this schedule, we intend to stick to it so that we can get our filming process finished. We will then move onto editing our trailer which will be the process which will take the longest so we have to make sure that our filming is done up to a high and proficient level.

Thursday, 8 January 2015

Shots From Filming











More Shooting Pictures



Costume/Makeup For Our Production



As you can see from the video above, here is a tutorial of Dawn's make up for our production. As we wanted her character too look really creepy and sinister, she brought in red paint and fake scars to make it look like she is coming back from the dead. This is the costume and props she'll be wearing in our production to make it look effective.

Pictures From Shooting Our Production






















Here are some pictures from our production. As we will be in the process of making our horror magazine soon, we believe that some of the pictures we took could work for our magazine. As you can see, Dawn is dressed in blood and gore connoting death. This is a typical horror aspect in which we intend to express throughout our horror trailer.

Wednesday, 7 January 2015

Feedback From Audience Regarding The First Storyline



Here is feedback from an audience member that previously watched our old edited trailer. She told us that she'd give the trailer a two out of five stars which I believe is poor. She told us that what we can do to improve our trailer is by making it flow and actually have a clear storyline as she wasn't able to make clear of what our storyline was. It wasn't apparent at all. She also said that we need to work on our shots by having fast cuts and a lot of close ups in order to make it scary. This feedback really helped and was useful. This will allow my group and I to make our trailer successful.

Audience Feedback



As we felt that our old narrative did not work, we decided to make a new one. As you can see from the video above, here is an audience member watching our old edited trailer. Her reaction wasn't the reaction we intended to get.We want our audience to be scared and frightened at what they saw in our trailer. I believe that this clip shows us where we need to improve. The feedback we got was that we needed better lighting and more of an enigma code as it wasn't very clear. She also felt that the villain could have been a lot more scary. However, she liked the villain's hidden identity as it was a typical horror aspect.

Ideas For Horror Posters




Tuesday, 6 January 2015

New Narrative

  • Riley is walking home by herself, going to visit her relative's (that died) grave.
  • She finds a necklace as she puts down some flowers by her relative's grave.
  • She takes the necklace and wears it.
  • She goes home
  • As she is sleeping, the person (unnatural being) she took the necklace from comes into her room.
  • NEXT DAY
  • Riley is sitting in lesson and feels the presence of someone staring at her through the window.
  • The person stares at her through the window (Halloween inspired Michael Myers)
  • Classmate asks her where she got her necklace from
  • She tells her that she found it by her relative's grave. 
  • Classmate tells her that she should return the necklace as soon as possible as she might wake the dead.
  • NEXT DAY
  • Riley returns the necklace to the grave. 

Production Logos



As you can see, here is a snippet of our introductory clip for our trailer. As I said earlier, our production company will feature before our marketing company, this is how it will appear on our trailer. I believe that the text looks quite sinister as there are drops of blood and red around the text. It also appears as if it's coming out of the screen. This is used so that it applies to the typical villain coming out at you and grabbing you. Also, the blood is used as iconography.

Thursday, 1 January 2015

Logo

















Here is a logo Dawn designed for our production. I believe that it looks very creative and could be effective as our Production is called 'cut throat' hence the blood. This will appear at the beginning of our trailer as it will be in association with a marketing company. As a group, we decided that the logo will gradually get bigger as it moves closer towards the screen and then there will be a black screen in which our trailer will follow on from shortly after.