Research
Practise shot types/Horror- Practical research
As part of my research i went and took shots what i will use and apply to my short film. This has been useful because i can decide which shots i would like to use and the ones i don't.
Low angle shot
High angle shot
Low angle shot
POV shot
Mid shot
POV shot
Over shoulder shot
Long shot
Over shoulder shot
Storyboard/Script writing Practice- Practical research
For my short film i am going to have to write a script and plan a storyboard. For productive research i have made a rough script and storyboard for practice, although its not perfect this will help me develop my planning and writing skills ready for the real film.
Moodboard
Script
Narrative structure
Open narrative – An open narrative is when there are unanswered questions which need to be resolved at the end of the programme.
This is something I would like to consider because I like the fact of the ending not being a set ending as I feel like leaving the viewers with questions is more interesting than a solid ending.
Closed Narrative – Is when there are no unanswered questions at the end of the programme and all is resolved.
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SINGLE STRAND VS MULTI STRAND
Single strand means there is only one narrative thread through the whole programme.
A single strange narrative I feel works better for short films as if there is too many events it could become complicated.
Multi strand means there are multiple narrative threads which sometimes coverage.
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LINEAR vs NON LINEAR
Linear is when events in the narrative follow chronological order. This could mean flashbacks but that is something I don't want to include in my short film.
Non linear is when events in the narrative do not follow chronological order e.g flash backs/ forwards.
CIRCULAR NARRATIVE
Circular narrative is when the start and end points of the documentary are the same.
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Now I have researched into different narrative structures. I am intrigued by the fact of having an open ending as I feel this would work well with a horror film as it could leave the viewer feeling tense wanting to know what happens next. A non linear structure sounds the most interesting and inviting to me as I have always wanted to try using flashbacks and now I can experiment using Premiere Pro and see what is the most effective way to do them. Once I know the plot for my film, I can refer to which Narrative type it falls under to guide me.
conventions of a horror film
After doing research into narratives and different ways to do them I have decided to research into conventions of horror films. During my research I found a website what explains the key conventions within a horror film. I looked through all the conventions and picked out the ones what applied to me and what I would like to use in my short film.
This is something I will take into consideration because a secluded area brings out the horror theme.
This is something I will definitely think about when creating my film because it builds suspense before the real scare.
If I want to use this convention I would have too fil at night and this may be difficult to get all the actors together art this time.
Horror film characters
When coming to shoot my short horror film I will be including a protagonist and antagonist in my production, with the antagonist being like a serial killer/psychopath. I feel like horror films that are realistic with actual people as the antagonist instead of it being a supernatural creature (ghosts, demons) as personally it makes me more scared if I know it could actually happen which is why I am moving towards the sort of killer psychopath route.
A inspiration for characters for me personally comes from the 2016 thriller hush. The antagonist plays a psychopath serial killer who tries to kill a deaf women. The man in the mask enjoys playing the game cat and mouse with his victims and he tries to kill them. Costumes are something i really need to look into more because costumes are first impressions and can give the film away. In the film I like that he wears a mask to hide his identity which is an effective way of making a normal character seem a horrific villain. The inspiration I have from this image is the dark clothes and the mask. I like the fact of using a mask however it could end up looking random in my film depending on what I decided the plot to be like
Don't breathe is another inspiration because of the house location and creepiness around it. This film is about 3 friends who decide to rob a blind persons house and the blind person is very skilled and try's to kill them. I like this idea because it creates tension. I will be expanding on this film and taking certain ideas such as killing in the house and hiding from the person who is causing all these deaths.
Media stereotyping characters
Stereotyping is a massive issue in the film industry. I created a power point using various different sources what I have attached to understand what these stereotypes are and how I can either address them or change them in my film.
A aim of mine is to not stereotype people as much as other films do. To do this I'm not making the blonde girl stupid or very feminine
Initial idea
Mise – En – Scene
This article which talks more in depth about Mise – En – Scene gives me a clearer insight to what exactly I need to consider –
From reading this article it speaks of how important it is and it means a lot more than people think
From watching this video, something what stood out to me was when the narrator said
"Everything in frame has meaning"
This quote really stuck out in the video and it has made me realise that everything in my film I need to consider if it plays an important part. I need to think if I want to include any hidden meanings and references, I don’t want to include anything which is there for the sake of it and if its going to have no meaning.
Definition
Lighting
cinematic lighting
Cinematic lighting is lighting for film that evokes a feeling and has a style. It’s the lighting we see in the movies we watch, be they big budget or independent. While the term cinematic lighting is not a precise term and is in fact very subjective, there are some lighting techniques that generally lead to this look.
Emulating lighting styles from famous paintings such as Rembrandt or going for a “chiaroscuro” look will give you cinematic lighting. Playing with ratios of lighting within the frame is often the differentiator between cinematic lighting and flat or boring lighting.
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Key Lighting
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Fill Lighting
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Back Lighting
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Side Lighting
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Practical Light
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Hard Lighting
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Soft Lighting
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Bounce Lighting
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High Key
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Low Key
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Motivated Lighting
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Ambient Light
Soft film lighting
When talking about how a scene should feel emotionally, one thing that is referenced by cinematographers frequently is how hard or soft the lighting should be.
The hardness or softness of light concerns how large a light source is, and how it affects shadows on your subject.
Hard film lighting
Conversely, smaller light sources, including bright sunlight, will heighten the shadows on your subject. Conservatively, this should be avoided. But it can also create dramatic effects, as was popularized in the classic Film Noirs, which featured suspicious and volatile characters.
Motivated lighting
When cinematographers light a set, they always ask themselves where, within the scene, the light comes from.
They might, for example, choose to take the practical lights that are already in a location and elevate their effect. This is motivated lighting.
Natural film lighting
Natural film lighting refers to using and modifying the light that is already available to you at your location.
Before you shoot, you can take your camera to the location to see how well the natural light holds up. You can decide from there how what additional lights you might need, or how you might adjust the light. For example, you can use bounce boards for reflecting the light, or black flags for blocking it out.
In this video, Deakins discusses how he first learned to pay attention to how natural light behaved — during fishing trips as a kid. Deakins is also a proponent of simplicity when it comes to lighting.
This is the sort of lighting I think I am going to use the most because it goes well with my horror theme and because the setting will most likely be at night
From watching this video they have mentioned many different lighting techniques used in horror films. The techniques they used are underexposure, silhouette, up lighting, spotlighting, harsh light, shooting through objectives and shooting through elements.
The most common lighting used within making a horror film is up lighting. From watching this video I would like to use the shot of shooting through elements and objects, this is because i personally feel like it sets the horror theme and that is the objective of my short horror film. This shot can create tension and make the film seem more mysterious, this is because although what is happening on screen you can see you cant see all of it, the whole screen isn't filled what creates mysterious tension.
Testing out different light- Practical research
Car lights
LED lights
From experimenting with these 2 different lights i personally think LED lights would be a great addition to the film, first reason being the colour red goes well with the theme of horror and sets the setting, second reasoning being if I film inside access to a plug for the LED lights is more accessible.
Location
Potential places to film
Location 1- Swavesey
This location would be a good place for me to film due to the location being very secluded and it setting the horror film theme.
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This location is very accessible for me because its local for me and my actors.
Location 2- cottenham
This is a potential location (car park) but it may be busy at he time due to the fact its a public field and a youth club so i will have to go have a look at this place at the time i want before shooting.
Location 3- Swavesey
A park in swavesey is very accessible too me because its close by and near for my actors as well so this would be a good place to film. A downside to this location is that in my script I was thinking about using a car and there is not many opportunities on this location for me to do that.
Shot list in horror films
I will be suing this shot at the start of my film, i will get a shot of the location and this will help se the setting
This shot I will use the most because this sets tension when it looks like its coming from the perpetrators POV
This is commonly used within horror films so I may use it or I may not. This ahs still been effect research because I have identified shots I will use and shots I wont.
This shot is really efficient tin horror films because it shows the dominance one person or figure has over the other, depending on how I make my script I might use this shot.
I will be suing this shot quite a lot because I like the way that it gives the audience a sense of we are following the character. When its sued in a horror film it can also mean someone's eyes are following you, this builds tension and I like that.
This shot will be used most commonly during my film because I want to build up the tension and this shot does, the shot gives a feeling of someone is behind them and this is what I want to create in my film.
I might use this hot, depending on the script. This shot looks great and would really help build tension but its a matter of the use of actors and if I can use it.
Target audience
To understand what people enjoy in a short horror film i created a survey with a few questions I think are important and beneficial to my research.
Most horror films watched by teenagers. Note to make short film be appealing to this age group.
Horror films watched by all genders. Not a specific gender
Majority do out of the people who participated, 3/4 of people
More people like the genre of gothic. Gothic is a genre I will think about including
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Example of gothic films
Most of the answers are films what include gore and pain.
Scary movie is a comedy horror which means although the genre is horror its not supposed to be frightening, scary movie is not something I want to be influenced by
Between 8-12 years old
Genre theories
Noel Carroll, film scholar and philosopher, offers the first serious look at the aesthetics of horror. In this book he discusses the nature and narrative structures of the genre, dealing with horror as a "transmedia" phenomenon. A fan and serious student of the horror genre, Carroll brings to bear his comprehensive knowledge of obscure and forgotten works, as well as of the horror masterpieces. Working from a philosophical perspective, he tries to account for how people can find pleasure in having their wits scared out of them. What, after all, are those "paradoxes of the heart" that make us want to be horrified?
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THE FANTASTIC (Tzvetan Todorov), First, the text must oblige the reader to consider the world of the characters as a world of living persons and to hesitate between a natural and a supernatural explanation of the events described. Second, this hesitation may also be experienced by a character. Third, the reader must adopt a certain attitude with regard to the text: he will reject allegorical as well as 'poetic' interpretations. These three requirements do not have an equal value. The first and third actually constitute the genre; the second may not be fulfilled.
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Lawrence Gross Berg outlines three theories of meaning when discussing the relationship between genres. The first theory what I researched into theory defines a genre by a shared set of conventions which include, lighting, camera techniques, strategic use of sound. Especially the lighting in films are extremely crucial when creating fear with the viewer, the use of low key lighting is used frequently, with horrific moments often occurring during at the night time. Camera techniques in a horror film are also crucial. One of the major horror conventions is the sustained use of the point-of-view shot. The use of sound is also important in making and creative an impact on the viewers as it helps to in still fear at certain point in the film, as well as preparing us for a ‘frightening’ scene. The next theory he speaks about of is he defines genres as “the underlying structure of values that the genre puts into play” Many expect to see a conflict between the ‘unknown’, or ‘monster-like being’ with an foreseeing victim within the horror genre. Horror films often violate the laws of nature and are often combined with science fiction. This is apparent when the ‘monster’ is related to a destruction of technology or Earth being threatened by aliens., many of these movies include professional effect to make it seem very realistic. The 3rd theory speaks of is the idea that “genres can be seen as articulations of texts that define a particular set of inter-textual relations. In this sense, genres tell us how to read a particular text by placing it into more familiar structures of meaning.” What horror films try to do is aim to shock, scare, repel and terrify its audiences is created with society in mind. Most horror films tend to focus on what is of concern and feared at the time of its creation.
From looking at some theories within horror films Lawrence Gross Berg was the only theory what I found useful due to the fact that he speaks about camera angles and I also believe this is crucial when making a short horror film and this is something I would like to focus on.
Roles
something very beneficial to me is researching into roles. I am going to carry out this research because it will help me understand what my responsibilities are as a director, cinematographer and producer.
cinematographer
The cinematographer is a film director who captures the images and sounds of the movie, as well as how they are edited together.
responsibilities
reading scripts and liaising with the director and visiting locations to take test shots. lighting, angles, filters, and techniques to the director
Producer
producer can work for a production company or independently to oversee film production
Responsibilities
Negotiate and issue contracts. Organise and manage technical, stage management and workshop functions .Agreeing projects and financial backers. Agreeing production timelines.
Director
The directors are effectively the agents of the company, appointed by the shareholders to manage the company’s day-to-day affairs. The basic rule is that the directors should act together as a board but typically the board may also delegate certain of its powers to individual directors or to a committee of the board.
Roles
Act within powers, Promote the success of the company, Exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence,Avoid conflicts of interest,
Short horror film ideas
I like the storyline but the duration is too long and I don't have the facilities to make this.
After watching this short horror film this has influenced me the most because of the creepiness throughout the whole video and then a sudden ending. This video has influenced me to have a sudden ending and hold the suspense throughout the whole video.
Props and costume
£10, I will be paying for this with my own money due to the fact my collage have props but none matched what I needed to make my film
I have established that my film will be shot inside and the setting will be inside so I want my actor to be wearing causal clothes like you would at home, I will ask my actor to make sure she can provide this
Camera transitions- horror
These transitions were useful in the sense of now I know how to create them I can apply them to my film
Interviews for actors
After watching these videos I have picked out some key questions and applied them to a word document. I have asked my interviewees to answer these questions and these were the responses.
Chosen actors
From interviewing everyone these two people stuck out to me the most because of the time they are available and a bit of acting experience ,although I am not expecting the experience to be amazing I would like it to look at a professional standard.
Interviewing someone in the industry
I made a list of some questions that i thought would be beneficial to me when making my film. I sent these questions to someone who is currently in the media industry making short films/music videos.
One key thing i have taken from this video is that stay polite and smile towards the team becasue this encourages them tO keep helping you.
Biggest influence
Scream is a massive influence to my short horror film because of the opening scene. I want to make my short horror film like the opening to scream, this is because the opening scene holds so much tension and this is something I want to hold through the whole short film. Something what has influenced me the most about this movie is that it builds up so much tension and then finally they victim is confronted. The face mask is something I ill be suing in the film (different mask). I personally think when someone is wearing a sort of scary mask it makes it more scary because we want to find out who is underneath the mask. The setting of scream is in a average house, similar to mine. I also think tis movie is a inspiration because my actors I am using are not professional actors and although they are in scream the characters don't come across as it because its comedy horror. I am not making mine comedy horror but I want to follow similar conventions to scream, such as someone in the house, on the phone to create tension.
Feedback
This script I wrote is a very brief outline of what I want to base my short horror story on. This is not supposed to be good and detailed just a quick story board. I wanted to know if people supported my idea so I asked some of my peers and this was there response.
Feedback
Tom Woodcock- Teacher. Set the scene more, explain to the audience is this her home and why is she home alone. What is she doing when it happens, why is she texting her friend.
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Lilly peers, Set the scene more because right now it jumps into it very quickly and its leaving the audience confused.
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Mia Wibsey, include the character of Abigail more and explain what they are texting about. Why did Harriet send a picture to Abigail because right now she has just sent a random picture and the audience don't know why.
Character Theory
Victim
Killer
What is the relationship between the two people
What is the relationship between the two people
These are some things i need to look into and think about for my characters.
Wants and Needs
Wants and Needs
Jobs, family
Jobs, family
These are key characters i need to involve within my film.
Villain
At the start of the story, the villain causes some “form of misfortune, damage or harm” by stealing a magical object for their own gain, ruining crops, kidnapping a person, or committing a murder. They could be a dragon, a witch, a stepmother or even the devil himself. These characters often use a disguise to perform their wicked deeds, such as the dragon who turns into a golden goat or the witch pretending to be a “sweet old lady”.
Their evil action will, of course, lead to a fight or another form of struggle with the hero.
The Donor (provider)
For most of the folk tales in Propp’s study, the hero needs some sort of agent to defeat the villain and complete their quest. This object is provided by the donor. For example, a robber shows the hero a weapon, merchants display incredible wares or an old man can provide a magical sword.
The donor offers the hero these things if they can fulfil a task or test, such as the witch who gives the girl chores around the house or the hero who has to serve the knights of the forest for three years. During the encounter in the forest, on the road or some other wilderness, the donor might also make a request for mercy or a favour. Once the hero has satisfied the donor’s demands, they will be rewarded with agent they need to restore order in their world.
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After looking into different characters these two are most likely to appear in my short horror film due to they fit the situation or the aspects of their characters.
Testing effects
When coming to make my film I will be using a website called freesound.org for my sound effects. I will also be using some of my own sound effects i can make. I will be doing this because I have learnt Foley and I sometimes think in certain scenes making your own sound effects are more efficient than ones already made.
Freesound.org- https://freesound.org/home/
Own sound effects- made by myself
Testing out camera angles and clips on a professional camera
From carrying out this task I will be using both my own effects and my ones already made for my film. Adobe after effects is also a software I may use because of the fact if I'm using my own effects it helps me bring the sound out of them.
From carrying out this task I will be using both my own effects and my ones already made for my film. Adobe after effects is also a software I may use because of the fact if I'm using my own effects it helps me bring the sound out of them.
Sound
Sound is something that has really been stressing me out because I don't understand how it works and how I make it match the clips, to help me understand this I watched some videos.
This video was very useful, I learnt something called merging what means in premier pro I can merge the audio to match the clip. When I come to make my film this is going to help a lot.
Organisation
Trello
My To Do list for trello was very useful because while I was in the process of doing my research I thought about what was not useful and then I made a list of what not to include within my research.
WIX
