Genre Coventions - Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene is the arrangement of the scenery, props, etc. used in a theatrical production.

How we used mise-en-scene in our film 'Retention':

In terms of scenery we chose to set this film in a house which was built in 1864 as this gives the film an 'old haunted look' which is typical of horror films since setting is key to creating that eerie suspenseful mood. The house we used was significant as it looks homely inside and doesn't look too cliché in appearing creepy. However the stone floors and brick walls make the house look just that bit more creepy than your standard house. For the attic scenes, we filmed them in the same house due to the fact that the attics are not used by the owners and it gave these scenes a more creepy look as it looks more abandoned.

The props were a big part of the film as the film was based around a Ouija board and without this key prop, we wouldn't have our film. This was the main prop and we had to ensure that it looked authentic. We first purchased a board from Ebay however this turned out to be too small for the use of five people (our cast) and being on a tight schedule we made the decision to print off a Ouija board from the internet on to A3 paper, and stick it to a piece a wood which one of our directors cut to the correct size, to create the illusion that this was a real board. During the actual scene of using this board, we used candles to set the atmosphere and from our research we concluded that candles are a important when using the board as candles are commonly used and linked to spiritualism so it was fitting that we feature candles in this film. We chose both tea lights and church candles to create an eerie vibe. Every prop in this film is set to be old fashioned to keep up the ghostly appearance and due to the attic scene being a huge part of the film every prop used in this had a rustic look; despite being a safety hazard the ladders were old and rickety and this is believed to be key in keeping up the gloomy and predominantly, gothic look of the film.

For the characters we chose to keep the looks simple as to keep portraying them as normal teenagers and would look cliché to overdo it. For one of the main character's Riley, we chose for her to wear skinny jeans and a crop top. This is because its a popular fashion trend among teenagers today and this look is also paired with the popular 'girly girl' connotations that fits Riley's character profile perfectly. The next character Malia, is set to wear mostly the same outfit as Riley since her and Malia are in the same social group and social class. We chose for Malia to wear a denim jacket as this is a popular fashion trend and again implies that she is classed under the 'popular' social group. The last girl in the film is Mackenzie, Mackenzie wears something which is slightly different a she wears a simple top and a cardigan which fits into the 'quiet girl' stereotype we gave her, however her outfit still makes it look like she could fit in with Riley and Malia. Both the boys in our film are featured in simple clothing, both wearing black and white which could portray their simple attitude and even their unbothered attitude to the Ouija board. Jace is wearing brands like Adidas and Nike which are common yet popular brands. The 'typical guy' look is how we wanted Jace to look since his character represents your typical teenage boy. Eli is wearing simply jeans, a t-shirt and a jacket which is similar to Jace's casual look, however, we intended for Eli to be nerdy introvert type, the fact that he wears glasses is helpful in this.

The lighting used in this film is mostly low-key lighting to fit with the genre of film as a colourful and bright setting would take away from the mood we're trying to create. The Ouija board scene is kept completely in the dark, however we plan to work with candles and flashlights to make the actors be seen. The darkness makes a scarier atmosphere, and makes all of the scenes more suspenseful and gloomy. The lighting in the house that we plan to film in is quite dim and this can cause problems while filming, therefore we plan to film in the day so that natural light comes through the windows and maybe helps with the camera quality.

Genre Conventions - Cinematography

Cinematography is one of the most important elements to a horror film. Unlike many other genres that rely more heavily on other elements (dialogue, plot points, etc.), great horror films are all about style. That’s not to imply that a great horror film shouldn’t also have excellent dialogue and a great plot, but rather that those elements often overlooked when in comparison to immersive mood and experience that a great horror film delivers.

1. Shooting Through Things

Some horror filmmakers are drawn to extreme close ups, but sometimes doing the exact opposite is far more effective. Rather than always filling up your frame with your actors faces (just because it looks intense), it is just as suspenseful to go wider. For example, a scene where an actor is sitting alone in their kitchen would have an extreme close up on their face to  show some added emotion, but a wide shot taken from outside the house (looking in) could be far more powerful. Not only are you showing the isolation of the character, but you’re also creating an unsettling feeling by shooting through a pane of glass, which is a technique that can be very effective under the right conditions. It's as if the someone is looking is watching over them, creating that suspenseful effect.

2. Underexpose

On a horror film, underexposing can be extremely effective as it’ll leave more areas of the frame in the shadows and create a more mysterious feeling. It gives a shot that more eerie look as something lurks in the shadows. It can also help portray whether this character is the villain or not as normally, the predators are the ones that hide in the shadows waiting for the right moment to attack.




3. Close Up

These shots are used to show the emotion on the actors face in the heat of the moment. This is helpful in horror films as the more uncomfortable the audience gets the more perceptible to jump scares they are. The close up also blocks the background so the audience can't see what is happening and this could make it easy for an unpredicted scare to appear behind the character.


4. Hand Held/ POV Shot
These shots are normally shaky and used to disorientate the audience. Some films make the actor hold the camera to create both a hand held and a POV shot. This can be used as a build up of tension or to make the audience panic as it stimulates humans natural instincts to run away- in this case with the characters, momentarily feeling like the antagonist is chasing us. These shots can also be used to give the viewer a sense of reality, as it feels as if you were in the scene. Most film makers do this as it makes the audience experience the fear that the main character is feeling.

5. Bird Eye View/ High Angle Shot

These shots can be used so that the characters look small and vulnerable. The camera angle mimics a bird chasing its prey and this results in it already having connotations of threatening behaviour and death imagery. This could evoke a feeling of worry and foreboding from the audience as the threat is right above them.



6. Tilted/ Unique Angles 

Tilt shots or the 'dutch tilt' adds a lot of dramatic tension to shots. It is also a great way to get a different shot of an incident across to the audience. The array of camera angles are used to create an unsettling feeling within the viewer; the best way to do so is to create an image that looks off balance. That’s why the dutch tilt works so well. It's also useful to act as though the camera is the victim on the floor and you are seeing what they are seeing which also creates the sense of being helpless, putting the audience in even more distress.

Genre Conventions - Editing

Editing in a horror film is an important factors of a horror film. The editing has to be done to perfection to achieve the scares; the editing can make the difference of the film actually being horror or a laughing stock. Timing is also everything. Suspense is built on the audience’s anticipation. An editor can use the timing and pace of clips to build this anticipation and grow suspense. Pace is important when disorientating the audience, it is the key to building the anticipation and suspense needed to make it a good horror film.

The three key elements every editor should have at their disposal for any horror film is:
- Colour
- Sound
- Perspective
- Pace

Colour is key because this is what creates the core atmosphere for each scene; whether it be something with high contrast, or just dark enough for a creature to creep out of the shadows. The dark and dull colours are what people associate horror with. It the scenes filmed were bright and colourful it would take away that creepy effect that horror films aim to get. It would make the film a lot less suspenseful if the place they were filming appeared in bright and happy colours; people wouldn't be as afraid if in comparison to an eerie and dark setting.

Sound is extremely important for those people in cinemas who like to cover their eyes during particularly scary scenes. Even if you can’t see the horrific image, you can still hear the bones crack, the blood spray, and the victim let out one last shriek or a dying breath. Sound is usually the element used to create the jumpscares. Typically, there would be a complete cut off of sound, the only sound being the contrapuntal ones of footsteps from the character up until that character comes face to face with yet another threat and this is where editors would add a loud sound effect or start up the ensemble of suspenseful sounds to make the viewers even more scared.

This element tends to be less obvious but is just as important. Perspective plays a large part in creating a horrific landscape, or an uneasy tension. In some cases, the director will need the editor to adjust a scene or image to help intensify the scene. The easiest way to add tension to a plain scene is by rotating the image on a angle. By putting the perspective on an angle you subconsciously tell the viewer that “something isn’t right.” People like to see their world on an even playing field, and when you start to mess with that perspective, you begin making the viewer uncomfortable and on edge.

The pace of editing is also used to make an impression on the audience. A rather long clip without any cuts makes the audience tense as it focuses in on one subject for too long and evokes the audience to feel the need to look away or lets them focus on the detail in the shot. On these types of clips the audience expects to be scared however if a jump scare is placed at the right point in the scene then the audience will still jump as the tension builds and builds however if this cut is placed too late then the main tension will have been wasted. Then, fast paced editing/ shorter clips create chaos and disorientation, making the audience focus on lots of things in a short amount of time making them perceptible to the scares. On the fast paced shots a hand held camera is the best option to use as this makes it more messy. These shots might make the audience feel a sense of urgency and this could lead to strong feelings of panic.

Horror Conventions: Iconography

Iconography

The visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study or interpretation of these.

Horror iconography presentation from CourtneyHutton07

Genre Conventions: Iconography

Horror Conventions Iconography

Iconography: When visual elements gain symbolic meaning overtime.

Iconography is the visual images that are used to represent something, these images usually come with many connotations. When an audience looks at the image they should be reminded of something else, a thing that it represents. Within the film industry, iconography is used in almost every film, most of all in horrors.

Within horror films it is expected to have some sort of creepy object, in most cases this object does the harm. Much like in The Conjuring, the music box is the haunted item or in Childs play, Chucky the doll comes to life. In our film it is based around a Ouija board and therefore it doesn't come as a surprise that the item in our film which is the creepy item is the Ouija board. These boards have strong connections which the spirit world and many real life stories have proved that these can the cause of evil.
Real life stories of people messing with Ouija boards



The music box from the Conjuring



Chucky the doll from child's play

There are certain items of iconography that match the film, for example in a Western we would see: guns. cowboy hats and horses. These items would not match if it was a horror film. In a horror film we would see teenagers, a 'normal' object turned creepy and the darkness. Most horror films now are set in the dark as this doesn't let the audience see what's happening around the character and makes them more open to jump scares.

As humans we are interested in the ideas and values of everything in films, most people going in to deep analysis after watching the films. The meanings of some objects may seem neutral but they never are.
The denotation of an object is seeing what is there however the connotation of an object is analysing its effects. Most film makers place objects in the films to connote or remind the audience of something and it could help the film in its plot.

Research into Ouija Boards

Ouija Board Research

Through research I have found out that the Ouija board has been around for centuries however not always under the same name. The first historical mentioning of an object or artefact similar to the Ouija board was found in china around the time of 1100 B.C. This was a divination method known as Fuji ( 扶乩) which translated into English means planchette writing.

Spiritualism began in the US in the late 1840s, this movement was led by mediums who claimed to be able to make connections between the living and the dead. This time was before the board was invented and therefore mediums has to resort to different methods to talk to the dead, these methods were:

1. Table Turning: this involved the table moving or knocking on the floor in response to letters called out. This took too long however and the method was quickly ditched.
2. Another method was using a large planchette on wheels with a pen attached to the front, users would place their fingers on this and it would then be guided by spirits to write messages. This method was better than table turning however the messages were almost always hard to decipher and this method also got dropped.

After these, people painted tables with letters and used the planchette as a pointer, this method became the mot popular and from this the Ouija board was invented.

Victorian Planchette

The Ouija Board 

In 1891 the board was made out to be a game by the Kennard Novelty company. Kennard the owner claimed that the name of the board was chosen when he asked the talking board what to call itself, the answer was of course Ouija and this apparently means good luck in an ancient Egyptian language. When the board changed hands in 1901 it was said that the name was derived from the word yes in French and German. This is the more plausbale option and is the option which most people believe.

The board was only allowed to be sold once it was proved that it worked, it was approved in 1891 which backs up the theory that the board really works. Ever since then countless amounts of stories have been relased about the negative effects that the board has caused. It was originally used to talk to dead relatives in the era when the average life span was below 50 however has now been named the 'door to hell' as it can release demons and bad spirits to the world. It is a must to say good bye to the board after every use otherwise it is said that it doesnt close the gate and spirits can come through at will and could possibly harm you in your own home.

The Modern Ouija Board

Genre Conventions: Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene

The arrangement of the scenery, props, etc. on the stage of a theatrical production or on the set of a film

With regard to scenery, we made a collective decision to set our film in a house which was built sometime around 1864. The era that this house was built helps us to achieve the 'old ancient and haunted' look that we were trying to achieve within our setting. Although the house looks very cosy and humble which is not usually the type of setting for a horror film, the old interior such as the stone floors, brick walls and wooden beams lining the ceiling makes it seem more eerie and fearful than a typical standard house. The attic in which we filmed looked more abandoned as it is rarely ever used in actual reality which helps with our setting.

Due to our film being based around a Ouija board; props were a key factor in the producing and filming of our project. The Ouija board was our key prop and we tried hard to make it look as authentic as possible. The first Ouija board we bought was from eBay, however this proved to be too small for the use of our five characters. As a result of being on a tight schedule we decided to DIY our Ouija board by printing off an A3 picture of a Ouija board and sticking down to a piece of thick wood; this created the illusion that is was real and made it look very authentic. Whilst filming the Ouija board scene, we used and candles and placed them in different spots around the room. From research we conducted, we found that candles have connotations of spiritualism and are often used when casting spells or when conducting séances, which correlates with the storyline of our film; so it was only natural that we included them during our own séance scene. The candles gave of a creepy and eerie ambience whilst also creating light necessary to film. To keep the ghostly aura of this film, we tried our hardest to make sure that every prop was outdated and old-fashioned. Props such as the old rickety ladders used to get up to the attic looks very rustic and ancient, despite being a safety hazard. All props used in our film were carefully thought out in order to keep up the gothic nature of the film.

For costumes, we decided to keep the looks simple and not over-complicated; this would help our audience to be able to identify with the characters more easily. We made sure not to make the characters look too cliché and instead portrayed them as normal teenagers. Riley, one of the main characters, wore jeans and a crop top. The reason for this is because it is a popular fashion trend in todays society which would be identifiable to most teen girls. This outfit goes with Riley's 'girly girl' stereotype and fits in with her character profile perfectly. Malia, another character, wears a similar outfit to Riley as they are both in the same social group, however she pairs it with a blue denim jacket. This is also a fashion trend and helps to give Malia a sort of 'edgy' vibe and makes her seem a bit more 'hip' than Riley. Mackenzie the last girl character wears a simple white top and a green cardigan which fits in with the 'quiet girl' stereotype that she was given. Both of the boy characters in our film are wearing simple black and white clothing which could symbolise their straightforward attitude and also their lack of interest in the Ouija board. Jace is your typical teenage boy and wears brands such as Nike and Adidas which is representative of his age group. By wearing these brand, teenage boys who also like these brands will easily be able to identify with the character. Eli wears glasses which helps him to portray the 'nerdy introvert' which is his character.

The lighting used throughout this film is typically low-key or naturalistic to keep the realistic and eerie atmosphere we are trying to maintain. The whole Ouija board scene is filming with minimalist lighting, with the only source of light being candles and flashlights. The darkness of the scenes creates a more scary suspenseful and gloomy atmosphere. We could film some of the scene in the natural lighting of the day in order to overcome the problem of the shots being too fuzzy and pixelated due too the lack of lighting; filming in the day will help to improve the camera quality.

Genre Conventions: Mise-en-scene

Genre Conventions: Mise-en-scene

Mise-en-scene: The arrangement of the scenery, props, etc. On the stage of a theatrical production or on the set of a film.

Traditional horror films have the same scenery, either a forest or a haunted house. This is because these places look scary, creating a subliminal message that the audience should be scared. However, many films have had different settings to these. Films such as Carrie, Prom Night, House on Sorority Row, The Initiation and Urban legend are set in a school. This is to target the teenage audience and show that something so horrific can happen in an ordinary place. Films which are set in places such as space or the countryside are particularly terrifying as it implies that the characters are alone and stranded. Space differs from our usual experiences, reinforcing fear of the unknown.

The costumes used in horrors are usually everyday wear. This is so that the audience can relate more to the characters and it makes the film seem more real.

In my Film: 

In terms of scenery we chose to set this film in a house which was built in 1864 as this gives the film an 'old haunted look'. This house was significant as it looks homely inside and doesn't look too 'try hard' however the stone floors and brick walls make the house look just that bit more creepy than the standard house. For the attic scenes we filmed them in the same house due to the fact that the attics are not used and it gave these scenes a more gothic dark look as it looks more abandoned. For the attic my only criticism is that I could have filled it up with some boxes and random items so that it went with the script which states "its almost as if they left the whole house in the attic" this problem is not that noticeable however I feel that it is a downfall to our film.

The props were a big part of the film as the film was based around a Ouija board, This was the main prop and we had to ensure that it looked authentic. The group first purchased a board from Ebay however this turned out to be too small, on a tight schedule we made the decision to print off a Ouija board from the internet on to A3 paper, and stick it to a piece a wood which I cut to the correct size, to create the illusion that this was a real board. We used candles to set the atmosphere, we chose both tea lights and church candles create a eerie vibe. Candles are commonly used and linked to spiritualism so it was fitting that we feature candles in this film. Every prop in this film is set to be old fashioned, this is to keep up the ghostly appearance, due to the attic scene being a huge part of the film every prop used in this has a rustic look, the ladders were old and rickety and I believe that this is key as to keep up the gloomy and predominantly gothic look of the film.

For the characters we chose to keep the looks simple as to keep portraying them as normal teenagers. For one of the main character's Riley; we chose for her to wear skinny jeans and a crop top. This is because its a popular fashion trend among teenagers today and this look is also paired with the popular 'girly girl' connotations, this fits Riley's character profile perfectly. The next character Malia, is set to wear mostly the same outfit as Riley and Malia are in the same social group and social class. We chose for Malia to wear a denim jacket as this is a popular fashion trend and again implies that she is classed under the 'popular' social group. The fact that they are wearing mostly the same clothes is reinforcing that they have similar attitudes and are best friends. The last girl in the film is Mackenzie, Mackenzie wears something which is slightly different a she wears a simple top and a cardigan, this fits into the 'quiet girl' stereotype however her outfit still makes it look like she could fit in with Riley and Malia. Both boys are featured in simple clothing, both wearing black and white which could portray they're 'black and white' (simple attitude) to the Ouija board. Jace is wearing brands like Adidas and Nike, these brands are quite popular however they resemble either a 'chav' look or a sporty type. Any of these connotations can be used to describe Jace. Eli is wearing simply jeans, a t-shirt and a jacket, this is to resemble that in the character profiles I described him as a 'simple guy'. We intended for Eli to be nerdy introvert type, the fact that he wears glasses is helpful in this.

The lighting used in this film is mostly low-key lighting. The Ouija board scene is kept completely in the dark, however we plan to work with candles and flashlights to make the actors be seen. The darkness makes a scarier atmosphere, and makes all of the scenes more suspenseful and gloomy. The lighting in the house that we plan to film in is quite dim and this can cause problems while filming, therefore we plan to film in the day so that natural light comes through the windows and maybe helps with the camera quality.

Genre Conventions: Cinematography

Horror Cinematography

Lots of different types of shots are used in horror in order to add suspense and tension and create an eerie atmosphere.

Extreme Close Up

An extreme close up is used to show and emphasize emotion on a character's face. A extreme close-up can be used to make the audience feel uneasy. This would be useful in a horror film as the feeling of being uncomfortable will help to build up tension within the audience . It helps to make the next scene unpredictable as the close-up fills the whole screen and the audience are not able to see the background. Extreme close-ups could also be used to show importance of certain objects or people. The extreme close-up can create a tense atmosphere and will indulge the audience within a scene making them have a heightened sense of fear.

Long Shot/ Wide Shot

A long or wide shot can be used to emphasise the isolation of a certain character which could provoke feelings such as sympathy or fear from the audience. Usually long/ wide shots are shot down corridors or through windows which gives an eerie atmosphere and has connotations that somebody is watching the characters and exaggerates the size of the setting which they are in. These shot types are useful for letting the audience observe what's in the background of the scene, this keeps the audience interested and on the edge of their seat as they feel the need to warn the character if there is something strange and scary in the back of the frame.

High Angle/ Birds Eye View Shot

One of the main reasons these kinds of shots are used in horror movies is to make the characters look weak and vulnerable. The camera looking down on the character gives a sense of power and dominance. The angle could be used to show a killer looking down at their victim right before a tragedy is about to occur. This type of shot can have connotations of violence and death as the audience may believe this is the end for the character. Feelings of sympathy and pity can be shown in the audience as the character is powerless in their situation. A birds eye view shot could also emphasise isolation as it may just show a character from above in the middle of nowhere.

Hand Held/ Point Of View Shot

These types of shots are usually very shaky, and do not look very professional, however

this gives the film a more realistic atmosphere. They are usually used in  fake documentary style films, which are made to look life-like. Because it gives a sense of reality, it makes the audience more frightened as it looks as if it could happen in real life. The shaking/ trembling effect that this shot gives off is perfect for horror and creating a tense atmosphere. These shots can be used to disorientate the audience, which helps to build up tension and the audience will start to feel disorientated. The shots allow the audience to become emotionally invested within the movie and helps them to be more immersed in the jump scares.

Tracking Shot

These shots follow the characters movements. A tracking shot can be used to indicate that someone
may be watching or following a certain character in the film. This is useful in a horror film as it creates mystery and suspense due to the audience wanting to know who, or what is following the character; also evoking feelings of fear as they are scared for the individual.



Genre Conventions - Cinematography

Genre Conventions - Cinematography 

These are some shots that can make a horror film look unique to its genre, which are used to build tension and create a tense atmosphere, these shots are:

1. Extreme close up

These shots can be used to show the raw emotion on the actors face, however these can also be used as ECU's have connotations of being confined and can make the audience feel uncomfortable. This is helpful in horror films as the more uncomfortable the audience gets the more perceptible to jump scares they are. The extreme close up also blocks the background so the audience can't see what is happening and this could make it easy for an unpredicted scare.

2. Wide shots/Long shots

These shots can be used to show how isolated the character is and this could evoke feelings of sympathy or fear for the character from the audience. The usual horror film wide shots/long shots are shot through windows, this gives a creepy effect of somebody watching the characters. This might evoke an unsettling feeling which could be really effective if shot under the right conditions. These shots can also show the audience what's in the background of the frame, a technique which urges the audience to feel the need to shout and warn the character, this is essentially keeping the audience on the edge of they're seat.

3. Birds eye view shots 

These shots can be used so that the characters look small and vulnerable, they also have the same effect as high angle shots in which it makes the camera have a power position over the character. This camera angle mimics a bird chasing its prey and this results in it already having connotations of threatening behaviour and death imagery and this could evoke a feeling of worry and foreboding from the audience.  

4. Hand held/Point of View shots

These shots are normally shaky and used to disorientate the audience. Some films make the actor hold the camera to create both a hand held and a POV shot, when running or turning this can make the audience feel dizzy and dazed out. This can be used as a build up of tension or to make the audience panic as it stimulates humans natural instincts to run away- in this case with the characters, momentarily feeling like the antagonist is chasing us. These shots can also be used to give the viewer a sense of reality, as it feels as if you were in the scene. Most film makers do this as it makes the audience experience the fear that the main character is feeling.


A film which was filmed in all hand held and point of view shots. This film had mixed reviews as some found it hard to watch due to the camera never being still, however others think that the camera makes it seem like reality and is the scariest film they have seen, a stated by a critic in the quote "It is the scariest movie I've ever seen. Not the goriest, the grossest, the weirdest, the eeriest, the sickest, the creepiest or the slimiest... Just flat out the scariest."
 YouTube clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmYsRcLMvO8

5. Tracking shot

This shot is basically the camera following the characters movements, this can have connotations of being followed or being watched, in a horror film this is a useful cinematography technique. This can be used to make the audience scared for the individual. These shots can be used to show how frantic and chaotic the scene is.

Survey results

 Survey Results

The group decided to create a survey on SurveyMonkey.com to see different peoples responses to our film. This was so we could base the film around a certain gender and age. This is a collection of the results that came back from the survey posted in January. 

This question was find out what gender our film would mainly appeal to. This shows that most of the people interested in to his film would be females, this could be because of the high school aspect and the ratio of females to males in the film, however we have planned this film to be aimed towards both genders as it has aspects that appeal to both. This film will still be aimed at a target demographic of young adults of both genders, even though the survey results don't back this point up. This could be because more girls than boys took the survey.

This question was to find out the favourite genre of film from a random anonymous audience, horrors and thrillers are a favourite with comedy's and romances also appearing. Our film is predominately a horror although incorperates aspects of romance with the couple Riley and Jace, and it includes comedy character which is also Jace. This film will appeal to many audiences, and in 2017 horrors have become one of the main genres of film to be watched at the cinema proving that hopefully that our film will be a box office hit.

This question was to find out how the audience watches films, as this would help us in the distribution and exhibition of the film. This pie chart shows that most people (split equally) use online streaming and go to the cinema to watch films. Online streaming means that the audience can watch the film on sites such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. In 2017 most teenagers watch films on movie sites such as Putlocker which is an illegal movie watching website, this doesnt generate profit for the film company however it does allow a large audience to watch the film. The cinema is important as this is where the main profit comes in and creates the hype for the film. The box office on the opening weekend is the factor which shows if the film is a hit or a miss. 

This question was to find out if our story would be a good horror. This 5 star rating was based on the plot of the film. Our rating results have a weighted average of 4.86 and this shows that we have a well thought out and put together plot. The lowest star rating we got was 4 star, this is still extremely good and proves that the film would be watchable. This was an anonymous and therefore people didnt vote because they are friends, this survey was giving out to random poeple and posted on the blog to get different people's opinions on the storyline of the film.

This pie chart represents the share of people taking this questionnaire who would actually watch this film, the result being unanimous. This isn't a surprising result because of our weighted average of 4.86 on our storyline question, meaning if they liked the storyline they would like to watch the film. This was the deciding question, debating whether the film would be a hit. This proves that the film would be a hit as 100.00% of the people who answered the question said yes.

This question was to see if the audience matched the storyline to the genre that we chose. The group chose this film to be a horror, however with the subgenre's psychological horror and paranormal horror. Some of the answers picked up on those subgenres, nevertheless all of the answers chose the right overall genre. This means that the plot has enough horror conventions to bump it up from being a thriller. To ensure this, we have chosen to add jump scares through out the film to guarantee it being a horror film.

This was the question that was one of the most important to the group. We first established that it would not be rated 18 as this limits the audience and we had already based the target demographic around teenagers and young adults (13-15). This question was to decide whether the film would be rated a 12 or a 15. The certificate 15 allows the film to have more taboo language and violence which is a main theme in al horror films, however rating the film a 12 would ensure that it could reach a wider audience and be marketed towards more people. The results show that this film should definitely be rated a 15 as 100% of the people who answered voted this.

This was one of the most obvious answers on the questions as it has already been established in the storyline that it was going to take place in Riley's house. This was for the sole purpose of seeing if the audience (people who answered the questionnaire) were perceptive about the storyline and also to get ideas of where any extra scenes could be set. Some people have answered 'old house' this was the decision that we made and in the end chose to film at a house which was built originally in 1864. This provided the house to have a 'haunted' aura and atmosphere. The only problem that we encountered with choosing to film in the location is that it is very dark when filming inside. We plan to work around this by getting more light and placing the around however so that they are not seen by the camera.

Music is one of the most important factors of a horror film as this is what creates the suspense and can help in bringing an intense atmosphere to the film. The responses state that we should incorporate high pitched suspenseful music. The team is going to abide by this suggestion and have this type of music as we have researched further into horror films and found out that this is the most common type of music to create a dramatic climax in the film.

This questionnaire was useful in finding out the audiences opinions and criticism of our project. Throughout all of this questionnaire we only got positive feedback and suggestions, this implies that our project would be liked by the viewer.

Production Logos

This production logo was the first one that we made. One of the team members: Gina, studies Graphic Communications and this helped in the making of both of the production logos. This logo was made spontaneously and was produced how it came to mind. The production name is CGS Productions. Gina figured that if you made the letters square they would fit inside eachother and make a maze effect. We went on the photoshop 3D settings and made it Red checker effect, we also changed the lighting so the shadow was visable against the dark background. We used a dark background as grey has connotations of death, depression and emotionless, all these pair up with the horror conventions. This would be a suitable logo for the production company as it looks sophisticated and professional yet still has connotations of horror.

The second logo which was our preferred one was made from using inspiration from other horror film production logos such as:

 

We made this logo by creating a triangle and using the guassian blur effect to make it tapered and turn more transparent at the larger end of the triangle . We added 'difference clouds' to make it look like stage lights. This ended up looking too plain so we duplicated the layer and placed it over the top. This made a acid effect and the group made a decision to keep it on. We kept the background dark as it has connotations of horror however we had trouble finding the right colour to fit the 'CGS' title. We tried the monochrome colours however these didn't stand out and blended in easily. The colour red was suggested so we tried red and decided to make it a burgundy red so that it wasn't as upfront.

Age Certificate

Retention

Directed by Gina Allen, Sam Johnson and Courtney Hutton

 

 

 

Imitable behaviour

Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Whether the depiction of easily accessible weapons is acceptable will depend on factors such as realism, context and setting.

                         Language

There may be strong language. Very strong language may be permitted, depending on the manner in which it is used, who is using the language, its frequency within the work as a whole and any special contextual justification.

Threat

There may be strong threat and horror. A sustained focus on sadistic or sexual threat is unlikely to be acceptable.

Violence

Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but the depiction of sexual violence must be discreet and justified by context. 

 

 

Retention Shotlist

Shot List by Courtney Hutton on Scribd

Filming Tracker

Prop List

• Ouija board - owned
• Candles- owned
• Planchette- owned
• Flashlights - owned

Equipment:

• Camera
• Tripod

Cast and crew:

• Gina Allen
• Daniel Barbrooke
• Hope Horsman
• Courtney Hutton
• Sam Johnson
• Joe Usher

Costumes:

• Casual clothing

Filming Schedule:

1. Saturday 11th February- testing out camera angles and script. Filmed - however most scenes need to be done again due to lighting issues.  
2. Friday 24th February - Outside scenes finished.
3. Wednesday 8th March - re-filming of the scenes with better lighting.

 

Retention Script