Preliminary Task 

Our teachers chose our groups and gave us a task to create a scene from a previous horror movie or one of our own. Our group decided to create our own scene as we struggled to chose a previous horror movie. The scene was set in a class room that was empty. We also had a masked killer in the scene which has been used in various horror films including Halloween. By creating this scene we get an understanding of how the real thing would be. I learn't that planning is a crucial part in creating a trailer and I will definitely carry this through when it comes to producing the real trailer.    

Research- Questionnaire 

I conducted a questionnaire as one of my choices of research in order to find out more about what people thought about horror movies. I asked twenty-five people in my college to fill out a questionnaire that I produced and these graphs are from the results I received back. “Are you Male or Female” and “How old are you?” are both important questions that I asked because it has a lot to do with my target audience. It has been said that the youth are the most common group to watch horror movies. These questions were for me to get an idea of who was taking part in my questionnaire.

As you can see most people chose paranormal horror over the rest. These sorts of questions are vital to ask if I want to have a good trailer for people to react to. Now that I have found this out I think that I will highly consider having a paranormal horror trailer as this is what they prefer.  

The fact that most individuals chose the music as what scares them shows that I will have to put a lot of effort into making the music for my trailer. I too agree that music plays a big part in it. I will also make sure that there will be jumpy scenes that are unexpected to get my audiences hearts racing, this was the second most scares convention that they chose.

 I found the answers from this question interesting because I wasn't expecting ‘word of mouth’ to have so much quotes. This will encourage me to do more thinking as to how I can promote my trailer.

Research- Analysis of Posters

A trailer will not be the only product that my group and I will have to make. We also have to produce a poster. I decided to look more into some horror posters that have been made. I print screened this, I found it interesting that the majority of posters that came up had similar set outs. They all were very dark, this creates more of effect because you instantly know its a horror movie poster. Most of the pictures were close ups, close ups are used to show the expression on an individuals face, they all had an expression portraying either hurt or possession. I think that this scares the audience more as it could make them feel like their personal space is being invaded in a sense. 

Research- Location Ideas

While on my way to work I passed through an estate in Brixton. I thought that this area would be a great location for our trailer as it looks a bit abandoned which could create an tense atmosphere, anything could jump out at any minute. The time I took these pictures immediately has an effect, horror films are too usually based at night. This location is quite which would help me and my group in filming as there won't be much disruptions.

Ideas of how to market your film

Currently there is a remake of Carrie. I found it interesting that a way they have marketed their movie was by creating a Carrie Prank (video below). By creating this video it can encourage people to watch the film if they enjoyed the prank. 

Definition of Research

In the broadest sense of the word, the definition of research includes any gathering of data, information and facts for the advancement of knowledge.

British Board of Film Classification- Rating 18

Not normally override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment. exceptions are most likely in the following areas:

Where material or treatment appears to be BBFC to risk harm to individuals or, through their behavior, to society. May cause harm to public health or morals. 

British Board Of Film Classification - Rating 15

Discrimination 

The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour. 

Drugs

Drugs taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage or misuse. 

Horror

Strong treat and menace are permitted unless sadistic or sexualised. 

Imitable Behaviour 

Easily accessible weapon should not be glamorized.

Language

There may be frequent use of strong language.

Nudity 

Sex

Theme

 No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 years old

Violence

May be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury 

 

Other Types of Codes

 

Bathe argues that every narrative is interwoven with multiple codes.

 

 

Hermeneutic code- Story not fully explained, full truth avoided, keeps audience guessing till final scene when all is revealed.

 

Proairetic code- action/event that indicates something else is going to happen. By witnessing this, audience can say what character will do/ what will happen next.

 

The Enigma Code

 

 

Enigma is something that needs to be solved.

 

The Enigma code portrays a mystery to draw an audience in, pose questions and, as such, become intrigued in the piece.  

 

 

According to Bathes, the sequence is followed:

 

• Thematisation
• Positioning
• Formulation
• Promise of an answer
• Fraud
• Equivocation
• Blocking
• Suspended answer
• Partical answer
• Disclosure of the truth 

 

Moral Panic- Cohan (1972)

 

Moral panics has been described as a condition, episode, person or group of persons which emerge to become defined as a threat to societal vales and interests. (Cohan 1972)

 Halloween (1978)

 

 

In Halloween the director plays with the audience and our expectations by showing us the killer in the beginning, Michael. We do not expect the killer to be child as small as Michael. This also links to the use of children in horror movies, this is due to children generally represented as innocent humans. 

 

 

 Insidious Trailer

 

I've been looking at different trailers to get an idea of what I would like to add into mine once I start to prepare

The Monstrous Feminine

"In Carrie, the film's most monstrous act occurs when the couple are drenched in pig's blood, which symbolises menstrual blood in the terms setup by the film. Women are referred to as 'pigs', women 'bleed like pigs', and the pigs blood runs down Carries body at a moment of intense pleasure, just as her own menstrual blood ran down her leg during a similar pleasurable moment in the shower. Here, women's blood and pigs blood flow together signifying horror, shame and humiliation" The Horror Reader, Chapter: Kristeva, Femininity, Abjection. Barbara Creed.

The Theory Of The Male Gaze

Lauren Mulvey wrote a very influential essay called "Visual pleasure and Narrative cinema" (1975)

It suggest that the way women are viewed in cinema is 'unequal'. The camera necessarily presents women as "sexualised" for the pleasure of men

Mulvey's Three types of "looking"

1) The look of the camera as it records the films events.

2) The look of the audience as it watches the final film product.

3) The look of the characters at each other in the visual images of the screen illusion. 

Todorov Theory

 

Todorov felt that all stories start in a state of equilibrium.

1^st Equilibrium

2^nd Disruption

3^rd Recognition

4^th Repair

5^th Reinstatement

Propp’s Theory

Vladimir Propp was a Russian and Soviet formalist scholar. There were only 8 characters types. The emphasis was on looking at characters not as representing real people but as functions whose role was to move the narrative forward.

1.     The Hero (seeks something)

2.     The Villian (opposes the hero

3.     The Donor (helps the hero by providing magic objects)

4.     The Dispatcher (sends the hero on his way)

5.     The False Hero( falsely assuming the role of hero)

6.     The Helper(gives support to the hero)

7.     The Princess(the reward for the hero but also needs to be protected from the Villian)

8.     Her Father (protects the princess) 

Keywords

Hybrid- mixing two genres in a film (e.g. horror/comedy)

Subverts- something that we do not expect

Conventions- the expected ingredients in a particular type of media text- usually associated with genres.

Objective treatment- the ‘objective point of view’ involves treatment the viewers as an observer.

Subjective treatment- the ‘subjective point of view’ is when the viewer is treated as a participant.

My Review of Paranormal Activity 

 Horror would not be my first choice of movie to watch but this film stood out to me. It was different, not like the average horror with the predictable events such as non-diegetic sounds when the villain is about to pop out. This film was more realistic. It was based on a true story on which they found footage of.

 Katie Featherstone and Micah Sloat are the main characters In this film. The have just moved into a new house together and are very happy about it much so that Micah buys a camera to film all their special moments together. Little do they know this video camera also filmed their worst moments together.

Micah takes it to the extreme when he begins to set up the camera at the corner of their bedroom and records theme during the night weird things began to happen at night and in one scene we see Katie wake up, get out of bed and stand facing Micah who was sleeping. The time at the corner of the screen showed she stood in that position for over two hours. When they later watched the footage back they were stunned especially Katie as she had no recognition of that happening. As the days/nights went passed and hours of watching footage back, they realised there was something seriously wrong.

Katie then reveals that as a child she had bad experiences with visions, so it turns out that what ever is happening in this house has nothing to do with a haunted house but it was to do with her. Micah was fuming at this fact as this was the first time she had mentioned it. After calling in a psychic in to find out exactly what was in this house, they got a shock when he runs out the house as fast as he came in after sensing this ghost. With no help and no idea what to do next Katie and Micah decided to run away from the house the morning after but do they make it to the morning?

Timeline Of Horror Movies

1922- Nosfertu

1924- Waxworks

1926-Faust

1931- Dracula

1931- Frankenstein

1932- The Mummy

1945- The Picture Of Dorian Gray

1953-The Breast From 20,000 Fathoms

1954- Godzilla

1959- The House on Haunted Hill

1960- Psycho

1964- Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte

1968- Night of the Living Dead

1973- The Exorcist

1974- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

1975- Jaws

1976- The Omen

1978- Halloween

1980- Friday the 13th

1984- A Nightmare on Elm Street

1988- Child's Play

1990- Ghost

1993- Jurassic Park

1996- Scream

1997- I Know What You Did Last Summer

1999- The Sixth Sense

2000- Final Destination

2000- Scary Movie

2002- The Eye

2002- The Ring

2003- Freddy vs. Jason

2004- The Grudge

2006- The Host

2007- The Orphanage

2008- Prom Night

2009- Friday the 13th

2009- Paranormal Activity