Evaluation Question 5

Our target Audience was mainly girls ages 15-20 however males may also want to watch this film as men, stereotypically would rather watch an action or a horror over a rom-com or other such genre.
To attract the audience our main character was a girl ages 17 meaning our target audience would be able to relate to her easily. The mockumentary part of our opening would not usually appeal to the target audience however we used contradicting views between her peers and her teacher which would be more realistic in the way a girl this age acts in front of teachers and people her own age making it more realistic and believable. these contradicting views also create an enigma for the rest of the film about the real identity of the victim.

Evaluation Question One

In what way does your product use, develop or or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?




How we have used, developed or challenged conventions through camera work and editing:

At this point in the opening i created a zoom into a moving light behind her, this is the first clip to show something following her, as this is an unknown and anyone could be behind the light it uses the codes of a horror film, using the audiences minds to create different ideas of the protagonist for each viewer.



Haunted Battle Website

Final Opening

Sound

Sound is the most important part of our film opening as we use it to set the scene, create and build tension as well as insinuate when something bad is going to happen.
Here are some of the sounds we used for the opening:

            

Sound at the end, There are lots of layers to build tension and make an impact

Sound bridges of interview over the main shots

Layers showing how tracks are faded into each other

Credits and Titles

The way we have decided to put our titles is as follows. 

• Name of distributing studio

• Name of production company

• A film by

• Sound and Music

• Edited by 

• Filmed by/ Cinematography / Director if photography

• Screen play 

•Produced by

• Directed by

• Starring

• Film title

Normally the starring title would come after a film by however we want it later on as our main actress does not appear fully until later on. 

Story Board Images

First Screening

We screened our first draft to a large audience to gain some feedback on what we could do to improve our film opening.

We created a questionnaire for people to fill in, which we handed out at the screening. In the Youtube video below we discuss the questionnaire results.

 

Filming Day 1 and 2

Here are some photos I took when we were on location at Battle Abbey.

First Time Filming

Last night our media studies team travelled through to Battle in East Sussex to film for the first time for our trailer. When we arrived at Battle Abbey School we immediately encountered problems. After setting up the camera and tripod to film our establishing shot of the building we found that due to the poor lighting the camera picked up nearly nothing. 

We tried various ways of lighting the building such as hand held torches and even trying to use a car headlights. We then moved on to trying to film the 'action' for our trailer. This too was a disappointment and we found that to pick up our actor she would have to stand less than a three meters away from the camera. Although we did not manage to film much we did get a feel for the building and thought of some new ideas. 

After the poor nights filming I went home and researched different ways of filming at night. Unfortunately the researched made me realise that it was going to be difficult for us to film at night due to lack of lighting and ability to light the Abbey grounds. However my research did open me up to ways of filming in day time and using editing to make the footage look like it had been filmed at night time. In response to this we have decided to film tomorrow evening and edit the footage and see what results we get. 

Casting

For the type of film opening we want to create the actor will have to trust us, because of this we have to cast someone we know but that will also take the role seriously as well as being good at acting and improvisation.

This is Joely, we have chosen her as our actress for our 'scared girl'. we she has a very unique look, she does not look too young or too old as we want people to think she is around 17, yet still vulnerable. We have seen Joely in an out of school drama class as well as in school.

Sophie: Girl attending Josephine's school. 

Bethan and Grace: Girls attending Josephine's school.

The three girls we have chosen to be interviewed we saw perform other pieces in drama and saw that they would be able to act in the naturalistic way we wanted. We also wanted them to be able to play the part of a stereotypical teenage girl, listening to rumours and wanting to gossip and be involved.

Neil Holland :Teacher at Josephine's School

Interviewed in an office to show he is an important authorial role which is also shown through the suit and tie. 

Why Horror?

Why we have chosen Horror as the genre for our film opening.
Inspiration: We  have been inspired by Films such as the Blaire Witch Project and Paranormal activity to create a 'Mocumentary' style Paranormal found footage Horror. 
Costs: the costs of filming something like this is very low, the Blaire Witch Project was filmed on a very low budget compared to other films and made a lot of money despite this. for us, using handheld camera work is not only the look we are going for but would also be very cheap.
SFX: We have dicussed filming in black and white or putting a night vision effect onto the footage which we feel will enhance the look and feel of our work.

Horror Research

Horror Genre Research

Typical Features of the Horror Genre:  Horror films have certain codes and conventions that can be used to define the genre of film. Such as Low key Lighting, fast paced cuts and things such as quotes from interviews and there is always a threat and occasionally investigation of sounds or noises. 

We are going to create our film opening in the Horror Genre and to do this we plan to include; Flashbacks from Characters, Fast paced cutting as well as cross cutting, using Handheld camera work to make the audience feel like they are a part of the action and put them closer to what is happening as well as highly naturalistic acting to create the look that we are going for. we also want to create an Enigma for the audience which will make them question what is to come.

Possible Filming Location

Location: Battle Abbey School

Battle Abbey is a historical building located in East Sussex. As well as the medieval architecture the Abbey contains 'the ruins' from the collapsed church. The Abbey has been investigated in recent times due to paranormal scares and ghosts. 

Typical locations of horror films: Typically horrors are filmed in and around historical or deralict buildings and 'haunted houses'. They may also be filmed in places that we see as safe such as homes or schools, which shows the audience that anything can happen, this adds fear.  

Possible Filming Location

Location: Bodium Castle, Robertsbridge

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War. Of quadrangular plan, Bodiam Castle has no keep, having its various chambers built around the outer defensive walls and inner courts. Its corners and entrance are marked by towers, and topped by crenellations. Its structure, details and situation in an artificial watery landscape indicate that display was an important aspect of the castle's design as well as defence. It was the home of the Dalyngrigge family and the centre of the manor of Bodiam.

Features of a Film Opening

We have composed a short movie demonstrating the typical features that we believe are common in film openings.

WARNING: Some content may be unsuitable for sensitive viewers.