Our next step was to look at the codes and conventions, although we already had a good idea from our previous piece of coursework, it couldn't hurt to refresh our memories!
Shadows
Blood
Death
Silence
Dark Lighting
Eerie music
Handheld camera shots
Feeling of vulnerability
Victim
Villain
Isolated location
Heartbeat
Minor key diegetic music
Violence
Unprotected victim
Gabriella Freeman 5057 Annie Relfe 5445
Friday 20 August 2010
Looking at the pros and cons of the horror genre
Benefits:
• Not many actors are needed to match the codes and conventions; we need one villain and one victim minimum.
• The codes and conventions (e.g. shadows, dark lighting, using colours that represent things) can be easily achieved.
• Depending on what type of horror we decide upon, we will be able to experiment with makeup.
• Using special effects, colours and lighting, we will be able to make the setting look scary and fit the horror genre.
• We can find typical sound effects that can be very effective and build tension e.g. a heartbeat.
• Low budget
Constraints:
• Can look very low budget
• May be hard to find a suitable location
• Not many actors are needed to match the codes and conventions; we need one villain and one victim minimum.
• The codes and conventions (e.g. shadows, dark lighting, using colours that represent things) can be easily achieved.
• Depending on what type of horror we decide upon, we will be able to experiment with makeup.
• Using special effects, colours and lighting, we will be able to make the setting look scary and fit the horror genre.
• We can find typical sound effects that can be very effective and build tension e.g. a heartbeat.
• Low budget
Constraints:
• Can look very low budget
• May be hard to find a suitable location
Questionnaire
Please do our questionnaire on survey monkey!
<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SDF6882">Click here to take survey</a>
1. Are you male or female?
2. How old are you?
3. Do you prefer horrors that have typical themes (torture) or not so typical themes (voodoo)?
• Torture
• Voodoo
4. What characters would you most like to see in a horror?
• Children (aged 5-10)
• Teenagers
• Adults (20+)
• Elderly
5. In association with horrors, what is your worst fear out of the following?
• Isolation
• Death
• Being trapped and not able to escape
• The unknown
• Suspense
6. What films (which are sub genres of horrors) do you think are most successful and more popular?
• Psychological e.g. the others, the sixth sense
• Zombie e.g. 28 days later
• Supernatural horror e.g. the exorcism of Emily Rose, the haunting in Connecticut
• Slasher e.g. the Texas Chainsaw massacre, Hostel
7. Would you prefer to see a teaser trailer which had suggestive horror and gore rather than blatant horror and gore?
• Suggestive
• Blatant
8. Would you prefer the villain to be more realistic or make believe?
• Realistic
• Unrealistic
<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SDF6882">Click here to take survey</a>
1. Are you male or female?
2. How old are you?
3. Do you prefer horrors that have typical themes (torture) or not so typical themes (voodoo)?
• Torture
• Voodoo
4. What characters would you most like to see in a horror?
• Children (aged 5-10)
• Teenagers
• Adults (20+)
• Elderly
5. In association with horrors, what is your worst fear out of the following?
• Isolation
• Death
• Being trapped and not able to escape
• The unknown
• Suspense
6. What films (which are sub genres of horrors) do you think are most successful and more popular?
• Psychological e.g. the others, the sixth sense
• Zombie e.g. 28 days later
• Supernatural horror e.g. the exorcism of Emily Rose, the haunting in Connecticut
• Slasher e.g. the Texas Chainsaw massacre, Hostel
7. Would you prefer to see a teaser trailer which had suggestive horror and gore rather than blatant horror and gore?
• Suggestive
• Blatant
8. Would you prefer the villain to be more realistic or make believe?
• Realistic
• Unrealistic
Tuesday 17 August 2010
Sub genre; Psychological horror
Psychological horror:
This genre is shown to depend on fears of the character, eerie sound effects, music that will build tension and emotions that compliment the plot to make it more mysterious. The characteristics of the genre usually have less physical harm than a general horror movie, as the film would be affecting characters and audiences mentally.
The horror tends to be more subtle and is hidden behind normality so is seen as more secretive and the discomfort that the viewer experiences is caused by unconscious vulnerabilities or fears. This is because is taps into basic human fears.
The object of horror is usually another person or spirit/supernatural presence rather than a make believe object e.g. a monster or stalker seen in typical horror films. Psychological thrillers are similar to psychological horrors but usually leave the viewers keep guessing and analyzing the movie after it has finished.
• Psychological horrors always have a lead character in the film
• Always have a twist
• Includes elements that are related to the mind; mental rather than physical nature.
This genre is shown to depend on fears of the character, eerie sound effects, music that will build tension and emotions that compliment the plot to make it more mysterious. The characteristics of the genre usually have less physical harm than a general horror movie, as the film would be affecting characters and audiences mentally.
The horror tends to be more subtle and is hidden behind normality so is seen as more secretive and the discomfort that the viewer experiences is caused by unconscious vulnerabilities or fears. This is because is taps into basic human fears.
The object of horror is usually another person or spirit/supernatural presence rather than a make believe object e.g. a monster or stalker seen in typical horror films. Psychological thrillers are similar to psychological horrors but usually leave the viewers keep guessing and analyzing the movie after it has finished.
• Psychological horrors always have a lead character in the film
• Always have a twist
• Includes elements that are related to the mind; mental rather than physical nature.
Researching the genre
We have decided to do horror as the genre for our teaser trailer. This was our chosen genre because it wouldn’t be too difficult to find a suitable location and we had a lot of ideas for it. Obviously the first step was to research the typical codes and conventions of a horror and then we could look at different films with the same genre to get inspiration for our own teaser trailer.
Horror films are unsettling for the audience and are meant to frighten, cause tension, bring unconscious fears to consciousness and shock the viewers. Horrors can sometimes be confused with thrillers, which is a similar that lacks numerous scares but has elements of a horror film. Common elements of a horror film includes ghosts, cannibals, demons, zombies, curses or haunted houses.
Horror films are unsettling for the audience and are meant to frighten, cause tension, bring unconscious fears to consciousness and shock the viewers. Horrors can sometimes be confused with thrillers, which is a similar that lacks numerous scares but has elements of a horror film. Common elements of a horror film includes ghosts, cannibals, demons, zombies, curses or haunted houses.
Coursework Brief
For our media coursework, our group will create a teaser trailer for a film narrative which we have come up with. We will then create a promotional package for this teaser trailer which will include a poster and a website.
Along the way we will deconstruct existing films, teaser trailers and film posters looking at the important codes and conventions that will in the end help to create our final product.
Definition of a teaser trailer
A teaser trailer is short film trailer that is used to advertise an upcoming movie months before its release. They are typically 30-60 seconds long and contain the title and only important footage from the actual film. Their purpose is to create suspense and questions for the audience as they give away little narrative. It also lets the audience know that this film is going to be released.
Along the way we will deconstruct existing films, teaser trailers and film posters looking at the important codes and conventions that will in the end help to create our final product.
Definition of a teaser trailer
A teaser trailer is short film trailer that is used to advertise an upcoming movie months before its release. They are typically 30-60 seconds long and contain the title and only important footage from the actual film. Their purpose is to create suspense and questions for the audience as they give away little narrative. It also lets the audience know that this film is going to be released.
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