1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My media project uses the right codes and conventions to support the genre. I researched into great detail watching films from the past such as Psycho (1960s) to films from this year such as Rings (2017) to ensure that this film would fit into the right genre and be classed as a horror.
This film runs on a linear narrative, the film running in chronological order from start to finish. With the beginning starting with the characters meeting and the ending of the opening sequence finishing with the lights going out because of the board. My research into paranormal horror films has suggested that most films follow a linear narrative. However, instead of starting with establishing the characters like we chose to do, some horrors start with a significant event which explains why a place is 'haunted'. This gives the films an Omniscient Narrative as the audience knows more than the characters. For my film, the group chose to have a Restricted Narrative as I feel that it gives a more horrific effect if nobody knows what's going to happen. Another reason for choosing a restrictive narrative is that they keep the audience enthralled until the end as the viewers want to watch until the end to know the full story.
The genre for my film is very specific. The group chose a Paranormal horror, this is because the main antagonist is a ghost/demon which has been summoned from the board.
The parts in the film which relate to this genre is the Ouija board scene. This involves the use of many candles and a spirit board. Through research I have discovered that candles have a strong connection with spiritualism and where a must have in the making of the film. This is in the exact middle of the film, where is switches from light to dark. This is to signify the change from safety to danger. The candles could be to imply the light in the darkness essentially the only thing that's keeping the characters safe, although we ensured that the candles are blown out portraying that nobody is safe.
We used an array of camera angles in this film as to not make it generic and the same as every other film. My research suggested using camera angles such as tilts, low level shots and tracking shots to fit the horror genre. All of these shots restrict the view and cut some of the scene out, this relates to horror as it is always hiding something. My original plan was to involve a tracking shot from when Jace enters the house as this gives the effect that somebody is watching/following them. This shot was scrapped in the end due to it being too messy.
This shot was especially tricky to get as it is shot from when Jace is at the top of the ladder, this being very high up. Because it was so high up the tripod didn't reach and we had to balance it on a chair, holding it steady so that it doesn't fall and the camera is steady. I executed this well as the camera doesn't shake throughout this sequence. The mirror was useful in this shot as it lets us see the face of the character while still being behind him. This shot is establishing the setting of the old attic, showing the bricks and old door of the attic.
This shot is a tilt from a birds eye view angle. It establishes what is on the table ( the row of candles leading to the Ouija board). This was filmed in the darkness, the candles being the only source of light. With non-diegetic music behind the shot this tilt is used to build the suspense.
The pace of this film is fast throughout, but the editing getting faster toward the end. This is to create the effect of chaos for the viewer and panic for the characters.
The sound for this film was complicated. The original plan was to have party music at the start of the sequence as this reinforces that they are having a party. We scrapped this idea as it made the film look less like a horror. Instead we placed suspenseful music over the top and this created the eerie atmosphere. The main music that we used for the Ouija board scene was corrupted, this is because every 10 seconds there was a loud beep. The music was perfect for the film so we cut the music so that the beep wasn't there and faded it out and in to make it seem like it flowed. This worked to our advantage as the music stayed the same with no noticeable breaks in continuity. Towards the end we incorporated rhythmic editing, this sped up the editing pace and made the scene have an extremely tense atmosphere which supports the horror genre. We also included bits in the opening which only involve silence. This silence was used to show how scared the individual characters are to speak. The silence was effective as it represents the seriousness of the situation.
For the typography we wanted a font that fit the genre and was still serious, we backed the title onto a film of candles. Because of this the scene was dark and therefore we couldn't use a black font as it wouldn't be able to be see., as we couldn't use the colour black we chose to use the colour dark red as red has connotations of danger, warning, blood and rage. These themes are present in most horror movies.
The title is placed in the exact middle of the screen as this would draw the most attention and direct the viewers gaze to the title. The font is in serif and this gives it the old fashioned look that we aimed for. The old fashioned look was inspired by the horror films from the 60s. The writing is evenly spaced apart and this enables the viewer to read it easily. The red has a dark show around it which makes it look slightly 3D.
This film runs on a linear narrative, the film running in chronological order from start to finish. With the beginning starting with the characters meeting and the ending of the opening sequence finishing with the lights going out because of the board. My research into paranormal horror films has suggested that most films follow a linear narrative. However, instead of starting with establishing the characters like we chose to do, some horrors start with a significant event which explains why a place is 'haunted'. This gives the films an Omniscient Narrative as the audience knows more than the characters. For my film, the group chose to have a Restricted Narrative as I feel that it gives a more horrific effect if nobody knows what's going to happen. Another reason for choosing a restrictive narrative is that they keep the audience enthralled until the end as the viewers want to watch until the end to know the full story.
The genre for my film is very specific. The group chose a Paranormal horror, this is because the main antagonist is a ghost/demon which has been summoned from the board.
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| The candles in a row leading to the board |
We used an array of camera angles in this film as to not make it generic and the same as every other film. My research suggested using camera angles such as tilts, low level shots and tracking shots to fit the horror genre. All of these shots restrict the view and cut some of the scene out, this relates to horror as it is always hiding something. My original plan was to involve a tracking shot from when Jace enters the house as this gives the effect that somebody is watching/following them. This shot was scrapped in the end due to it being too messy.
The pace of this film is fast throughout, but the editing getting faster toward the end. This is to create the effect of chaos for the viewer and panic for the characters.
The sound for this film was complicated. The original plan was to have party music at the start of the sequence as this reinforces that they are having a party. We scrapped this idea as it made the film look less like a horror. Instead we placed suspenseful music over the top and this created the eerie atmosphere. The main music that we used for the Ouija board scene was corrupted, this is because every 10 seconds there was a loud beep. The music was perfect for the film so we cut the music so that the beep wasn't there and faded it out and in to make it seem like it flowed. This worked to our advantage as the music stayed the same with no noticeable breaks in continuity. Towards the end we incorporated rhythmic editing, this sped up the editing pace and made the scene have an extremely tense atmosphere which supports the horror genre. We also included bits in the opening which only involve silence. This silence was used to show how scared the individual characters are to speak. The silence was effective as it represents the seriousness of the situation.
For the typography we wanted a font that fit the genre and was still serious, we backed the title onto a film of candles. Because of this the scene was dark and therefore we couldn't use a black font as it wouldn't be able to be see., as we couldn't use the colour black we chose to use the colour dark red as red has connotations of danger, warning, blood and rage. These themes are present in most horror movies.
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