Focus Group

A focus group is a small group of about six to ten people who take part in an open discussion This video shows my focus group I have chosen to use a range of people from the ages of 12-30, this then gives me an idea of what ages like what, I have found out from it and I can use this information to develop my ideas if needed.

Horror film Questions

1)        What is your favourite horror sub-genre?

2)        What makes you watch a horror?

3)        In films what and characteristics do you look for in a protagonist character?

5)        How do you feel about tension building within a film?

6)        Is there anything that you particularly dislike in horror films?

7)       What do you tend to see in a horror film opening?

  

Here is my focus group:

Consent form

When We were given the focus group task, We were also asked to produce a consent form. This consent for is used because it makes it legal to allow you to present your name publicly without breaking the law of revealing someone's identity, at the end of the consent form i the person will have to sign it to show they agree with the questions asked and i will also sigh it to show that I understand that I cannot use their information without their verification.
 
Our consent form

I  am developing my knowlage on horror films which i intened to discuss by a focus group. This interview will be used for my coursework and education purposes only, there will be a range of questions asked throughout the time of the focus group.  

By signing, you agree that you are comfortable with the footage to be posted publicly online purely for educational purposes, if you are uncomfortable in doing so, please do not sign however any attendance will be much appreciated within doing so.

Signed:

Dated:

Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler- a crime based, action-packed thriller where a man takes up a new career in filming crimes and accidents take place in Los Angeles.



Firstly, the camera angles used are important because they help the audience to understand the scene and not get confused, through out this there are simple camera shots used which is effective because it keeps the characters on the same sides of the screen which stops the audience from getting confused, theres shots which make the filming look much more exciting, While the two characters are speaking, there is no soundtrack playing which shows that the film producers wanted the audience to pay attention at this point.

Sinister poster analysis

The conventions of the title is that although it is only a short one, its most effective as the short text makes the film seem more scary and creates fear for the audience as to what it is, the use of the word sinister is scary as we connote sinister with death, threatening or portending evil, harm, or trouble.

A young girl is used as to show she’s vulnerable and to create a sympathetic field for the audience. Also stereotypically the main conventions of a horror film is young girls are they are scarier. The young girl is smearing the clown face with blood this suggests that is what is going to be in the film, blood, gore and clowns or demons.

Here the producers of this film poster have included other films to gain an audience and promote there film.

Paranormal Activity 4 - Unrated Opening Scene

Paranormal Activity 4 is another example of a psychological horror film which displays common scenarios with other films in that genre of film that I have researched. It is set in a house this is creative as it mirrors the idea of normality therefore it is intensified scariness because the audience will think that its more realistically going to happen to them. There is a discovery of new neighbors within the opening sequence which implies a sense of mystery and from that it could connote that maybe something strange is going to happen as the new neighbors seem odd. 
The shot of the camera is personal as if someone in the family is recording a home video, it makes us feel like we are involved in the family because you see the action as they do. It is closer to reality and therefore, enhances fear within the audience.

Preliminary task- research into shot types

The Preliminary exercise: the task should demonstrate match on action, shot reverse shot and 180 degree rule.

Shot reverse shot: 
This shot is ideal for perspective of the characters, its a swap over shot that is usually used with dialogue, Within the shot, its switched from character to character. I will use this in my preliminary task when I have the two characters talking to one another as they will be switching back and forth so the audience gets a view of there faces as they are speaking.

Match on action:
This shot is to convey a journey. Moving the camera, ideal for walking through a door, used to continue one shot into the next, this will be a good chance to show when a character is walking/running etc, and there path that they are going through.

180 degree rule: 
The camera must stay one side of the (imaginary line) one side of the action/characters.

Keeping the camera on one side of the line but it is able to move up, down, left, right but not able to cross the line this changes the audiences perspective of the shot, this will be used in my preliminary task so it doesn't get the audience confused with who is who and creates a better flow of film.

Preliminary Task- Evaluation

Firstly, after I completed my filming I then started to decide on how I would edit the pieces together, I had to keep in mind how I would want the clips to go in order; the length of them, what transitions and soundtracks that I would include in my preliminary task, Before I had completed my filming I got some help from my storyboard helping me to have a small idea as to what it will look like and keep myself organised and much more prepared when filming. In the storyboard I also included what shot types and transitions I would use, this helped me massively when editing.

My Filming went very well and didn't take me too long. The filming I produced was high quality shots and the required ones as well. I included Shot reverse shot; 180 degree rule and match on action to make the filming the best it could be, I looked over each clip to ensure nothing was missing.

The way I ordered the clips I thought was most effective as it created a moral to the film, Firstly I imported my filming onto the apple mac so I could continue editing, once they were on the mac I then had to import them onto final cut pro, once I started to edit them together, to fit together different transitions, so they would all run smoothly together to look more like one film rather than many little clips. I had to put them in a specific order which I wanted them to run, my storyboard helped me with this. I then started to research into the different lengths of the clips, some would be shortened therefore it creates a more effective scenario. 

I then started to look into existing soundtracks and effects music from different opening sequences and trailers of existing films, so I could then get an insight of what an effective horror film would be like and how I can produce an effective one, stereotypicaly you would expect demanding and heart pumping soundtracks in a horror film, therefore i had chosen a subtle heart beat as the two characters went up the stairs and the bedroom, this suited the theme of the film well as it created a bit of suspense and connoted the feelings of the characters. The types of soundtracks I picked were mainly fast speed sounds due to the running clips that I had produced; this would create an effective scenario for a horror film. I also included different tempos and songs into my work, as I was editing the clips I found different sounds and soundtracks on final cut pro that I could put behind the clips. However, as I picked songs to go into my preliminary task, I had to write a letter to the company of the song telling them that I am using there song for school purposes, therefore I wouldn't be done for copyright.

I had to specifically include certain shots such as shot reverse shot, match on action and 180 degree rule.

I think I had met these in the duration in filming and during the editing so I could ensure they were all there, the shot reverse shot was the one that I felt best suited the dialogue scene, as well as the 180 degree rule whereas the match on action was more suited to the action/ running shots that I had produced.

The theme that I had chosen for this preliminary task was horror based I had to ensure that all my filming and editing were suitable for the genre.

I think that I had used the three required shot types well as they all fit well in the preliminary task and i experimented with different angles, lengths etc. I demonstrated match on action when the characters were running up the stairs, through the doors, this was good because it suggests the characters were on a journey/ mission.  The use of shot reverse shot was I thought used well as I used this shot type when filming the dialogue scene, this created the characters to be looking at each other while they were having a convocation and we could view each character by using the shot reverse shot as it switched from one to another. The use of 180 degree rule was to help the audience not get confused about what is going on, where the action/characters on one side of the imaginary 180 degree line weren't switching around, getting the audience muddled up as to whom is who.

After I had completed the whole of the preliminary task I then re watched it a couple of times check that it was all how it should be. I feel as I am a lot more comfortable with the shot types, camera movements and transitions that I have used in the preliminary task, therefore I feel as I am a lot more confident and ready to produce my opening sequence for my horror film.

MUMMY | Preliminary