Amy Bullmore- Media Studies

Risk assessment form from Amy Bullmore

The Others  For my credits research I chose to do 'The Others' as it a film from the genre of horror, which is useful as I can use it as an example or template for the titles for my own opening sequence. The credits lists the main star and then the title, two important pieces of information put together. The main star is separated from the rest of the cast because Nicole Kidman is a well-known actress, recognised by the audience. The credits is only features for 3-4 seconds because it is a brief overview and it is the end credits that will include all of the details, as the opening credits are meant to be short so that it acts as an introduction and the audience can watch the film as soon as possible. Whilst these credits are being displayed, the music is eerie and classical, which can reflect the codes and conventions of a horror film. Furthermore, the background is drawings and art of children and characters looking scared, a common emotion in a horror film.

Alice Green: Alice is the hero and the protagonist of the story, with her goal to defeat the villain and escape the forest with her friend, Jamie. The person playing this role will be myself. Looks: Brown, straight/wavy hair, casual clothing. Personality: Ambitious, they like to try new things and takes action before they think. She is reserved around new people or people she doesn't like, and isn't afraid to show that. She can be stubborn at times, and when with friends she is confident and tries to be funny. Costume: Alice's style is casual as she wears what she feels and doesn't require that much effort. The outfit featured below is what she will be wearing throughout the opening sequence. I chose this outfit because it is practical, which matches Alice's personality in willing to try new things and being quite forward and ambitious. Jamie Waters: Jamie is the helper of the hero as she is Alice's best friend, whom accompanies her on her journ...

Institution: The definition of an institution in terms of media is an organisation that is responsible for media text. In terms of film, this can include companies such as 20th Century Fox or New Line Cinema , which are involved in the production and/or distribution of the film. Above are example logos from film production companies and institutions. These are usually featured before the film actually starts, and most are recognisable, e.g. Walt Disney Picture, especially if they are part of the Big 6. Institutions are an important part of the film industry, producing new films and ideas to be put on screen for an audience. Examples: An example film is the conjuring, in which before the film starts both the Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema logos are presented to the audience. This is commonly found in films before the film starts, to give credit to the companies for the work that they have been involved in with the making of the film. Like with The Conjur...

On the first day of filming we are receiving a tour from the owner,and this is the day in which most filming will be done around the house. On the second day the majority of filming will be done outside in the forest, in which the dialogue between the two characters takes place.

This picture is a visual representation of the mindmap I made on the codes and conventions on the genre of horror, and includes characters, a location and some example films.

The Hunger Games Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, the Hunger Games is an action/adventure which was released in 2012 and created by Lionsgate. Because it has the certificate 12, the audience is teenagers, particularly girls, as there is a strong female protagonist that the can look up to and idolise. Fans of the actress and the book series may also watch this film. In the opening sequence we are given information about the history and how the Hunger Games was created, as well as what it actually is. This is presented to the audience as text on the screen, with a simple font and not bright colours. The font isn't cursive or looped, which connotes seriousness, as the Hunger Games is a serious topic within the narrative. This is also supported by the simplistic colours used: black and white. The background is black which can connote darkness and sincerity through the message, and the white text can connote hope, as the protagonist tries to return to a new equilib...

Hanworth Park House The location I have chosen to film at is Hanworth Park House and the forest around it, known to some as the 'Teddy Bear Woods'. This is because within the forest there is a clearing, and surrounding it are trees with toys strapped to them. You can't see this from the clearing, although there is a dream-catcher that someone has made across two trees. Once you leave the clearing to walk through the trees, the toys become more noticeable and the further you go the more you see. I feel that this would be suitable for the genre of horror for my opening sequence, as a dark forest is one of the codes and conventions of horror in terms of setting, as well as an abandoned house, which in this case is the Hanworth Park House. An Earth view of the house and the park surrounding it. A map view showing the surrounding area, which I will be using to know how to get there. Below I have found a video of someone viewing the forest and house from a drone, ...

Script for opening sequence from Amy Bullmore

For my audience research I interviewed 4 four people who I felt were part of my target audience in order to obtain information and their opinions on horror films. My target audience: Primary: Teenagers and young adults (15-25), Generation Z, Group E, Male and Female Secondary: Parents of those children (30+), Generation X. Niche: Fans of supernatural elements and fantasy. The audience research is useful because it has helped me gain an insight on how my target audience think and their views on the genre of horror. With this info I am then able to apply that to my opening sequence in order to make sure it appeals to them. For example, with the question on what sets apart one horror film from another, participants gave detailed and relevant answers which I can apply to my own narrative, making that stand out and generate interest from an audience as well as gaining their full attention. On some questions I made sure that they were closed so that I could get a variety of dif...

Below I have my storyboard, which will act as a guideline for me throughout filming and post-production. It includes the different shots and a brief description on what will happen in each, which also reflects what the finished product should look like.

The Dark Knight The Dark Knight is an action film released is 2008, and is the sequel to Batman begins, which was released in 2005. The film was created by The Warner Bros. and stars Christian Bale and Heath Ledger. The film reaches out to teenagers, and adults, especially male, and those who are interested in previous comics and films, as the film is rated 12. In the opening sequence, the audience is introduced to the antagonist, The Joker, which is different from most films as they usually establish the scene or introduce the protagonist. Throughout the clip we learn more about The Joker through other characters as they mention him, and he is only revealed at the end of the sequence when he takes of his mask, and realise that the Joker goon was actually himself. This shocks the audience as it's a big reveal, and they had been trying to piece together what was happening in this scene, but then the main villain is revealed to them. In the opening scene, the character of The...

After writing my treatment I made a treatment brief, which included vital parts of information in which I would present to my class to gain feedback and their thoughts on my idea. I got a variety of questions and feedback which I have thought about, which has resulted in me making amendments to the plot of my horror film and the ideas I had presented or not included in my brief. One piece of feedback was about my plot and the idea of having two students filming for their media coursework, which was said to come across as quite amateur towards the audience. Because of this, I am changing my plot to make it more creative, something that stands out and generates interest within viewers. Instead of having two media students filming, I have decided that the two girls come across the house in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees, however it is quite close to them. This confuses the characters as there are no main roads or towns near this area, and yet their maps say that it is only ...

Horror Codes and Conventions Research Shown above is a mind-map listing out different codes and conventions of a horror movie, which is the chosen genre for my opening sequence. It includes the categories: Costumes, Visual. Location/Setting, Props, Sub-Genres, Example films, Characters and Sound/Music. Listed within these categories are features that an audience may expect to find in a horror film, for example the location of a dark forest.

Opening Sequence Treatment: A cliché horror movie consists of a haunting, ghosts or demons, ready to thrill the audience. Some films have a unique selling point, but others are put into this category where you find out that they are all relatively the same, for example Paranormal activity and The Woman in Black. With my opening sequence, I have added a twist to the horror element; no ghosts scaring a family to death, but some supernatural features such as witchcraft to engage and have the audience on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens next. The story that I have created is called The Child Keeper and is set in present day, as I feel that it is most appropriate because the characters will be using modern technology in order to reach their goal within the story. According to Todorov’s narrative theory, the story starts with the equilibrium in which two media students who need to film for an opening sequence for their media coursework. They have chosen the genre o...

Now You See Me- The Piranha Tank The clip above introduces one of the protagonists the the audience, giving them a first impression. The impression that we get is that she is daring and is willing entertain people, even if her life is at risk. This suggests that she is passionate at what she does, and likes to trick people, as later on the scene she makes everyone believe that her trick went wrong and that she died. However, she yelled from the crowd after that the act was a sick joke, showing humor herself, as well as amusing and relieving the audience. We can also get a sense of the character from her looks and outfit; her hair is a bright orange/red and her outfit is quite revealing, which indicates that she is confident in what she does and may not care what others think. Stereo-typically, the male character is quite dominating and always faces danger, however this clips contradicts that, showing that there can be a strong female lead. Moreover, later on in the clip we learn ...

Focus-Pull Focus Pull- This occurs when you change focus throughout the scene, e.g. from the foreground to the background. This gives the effect to the audience that whatever is being pulled into focus is significant, and draws their attention to it, and if something is going out of focus, then it is longer the subject of the shot. Dolly Shot- Also known as a tracking shot, this involves having the camera on a trolley, which will move along to follow a subject. This is commonly used for POV shots and long takes, where the audience will feel involved in the scene, as they may feel that they are being taken somewhere

Tilting Tilting up/down- This shot involves the camera moving up an down, for example in a POV shot to show that the subject is nodding. However, this technique isn't as common as panning, because humans look left and right more often than up and down. This shot can also be used to show other subjects/objects or even just the environment, for example if there is something on the floor or in the sky high up. Arc Shot- This shot is when the camera circles the subject(s), typically in an action film or a scene that is meant to create drama and suspense. This is used to give the subject power, usually just after they have achieved something or just before the climax in the film, for example a fight scene. Cut away/in (Camera Movement) Cut away shot- This is a shot of something other than the subject/action, which can add interest and information to the story, so the audience can focus on something other than the subject. Cut in shot- This is the opposite of the...

Pan Shots Pan shot- This shot is used to make the camera look left to right, for example, in a scene where we are following the subject. A steadicam can be used to get a smooth or professional shot, or it can even be handheld , especially during a POV shot to make it look more realistic. Its is the most simple and common method of camera movement, and is often used to do a sweep of an environment, which can set the scene and introduce it to the viewer.  Whip pan-  This shot is similar to the pan, however it is faster so that it gives a blurred effect. It is commonly used as a transition between shots, and can express a change in time or scene. It can also be frequently seen in cartoons, often accompanied by a 'whoosh' sound effect.  Zoom Shots Zooming in/out- This does not require the camera to move, but it creates the illusion that it is further/closer to the action or subject. Zooming in can hold emphasis on a particular char...

Camera Movement Camera movement can function in many ways, it can direct the viewer's attention and reveal off-screen space and the subject's surroundings. This technique is used typically when the subject is moving across the frame, so it is used as a following shot. The shot shown on the left is an arc shot, which circles the subject(s). Each shot can connote something or give the subject a sense of something, for example power. Example shots include: Pan shot, whip pan, tilt, dolly-shot. arc shot, zoom in/out, pull focus, handheld, steadicam and cut away/in shot (also counts as part of camera framing) The video explaining camera framing also explains briefly some of the camera movements:  Start from 1:40 Here is another video with example camera movements:

Low and High Angled Shots Low angled shots- This type of shot can increase  height for the subject and and can make them seem quite authoritative.This added height can inspire a sense of fear/insecurity within the audience, as the subject could be looking down on them. It can also make the viewer feel powerless in a scene of action, and is often used to capture a fast-paced motion. This shot can be seen in action movies such as The Avengers. High angled Shots- This shot isn't as extreme as a bird's eye view , however the camera is elevated using a crane so that there is an overall view across a specific environment or subject. The character is usually seen as helpless and, looking up hopefully or at the face of danger. This shot can also be seen in action movies, before or after a fight seen. This is shown in the example on the left, which features a high angle shot from The Avengers. Bird's Eye and Worm's eye View Bird's eye view- This shot can put ...