Foundation Portfolio: Refletive Evaluation - Catherine Middleton

Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The following images show the conventions of our sub-genre, i used them as inspiration and ideas for our own title sequence and opening scenes.

Shot by Shot Analysis:


Logo -


Production Company Logo -                                           

Our own company logo -

These are stills from the production title sequence and logo for Polsky Films. I really liked the use of the ink splashes - the slow motion and misty look of the ink ,works really well in creating quite a disturbing look. The font for the logo itself also uses this slightly hazy look, so whilst being clear to read it continues to create a feeling that something is quite unnerving. They've chosen to use black ink and logo against a plain white background which stands out well and is clear to read.  

For our own logo we wanted a similar look and feel and we also wanted it to link to our storyline and so we chose to use a typewriter font, keeping it very simple (the tea stained background giving a nostalgic but slightly eerie feel) and using red as a contrasting colour for the full stop - subtly symbolising danger / a warning. 

Title Sequences - 

Own Title Sequence - 

I chose stills from 2 very different titles that I think work really well in different ways. The first still is a very conventional design - black background with clear writing. The lettering stands out well and it centralized which draws your attention. The font appears quite sophisticated, it gives a very serious feel which can then make the film feel more realistic and frightening. Originally i thought a simpler title would be more effective but i think the second title example above works really well in creating a clear genre immediately through the use of blood in the background. Obviously we wouldn't use this as blood is not a stereotypical feature of psychological horrors, but the idea of instantly establishing genre i think would be really successful. It uses quite a plain background but the use of both black and red text works well as it both stands out and holds connotations of death and murder. I really liked the font and positioning of the lettering in this example - the typewriter look makes it feel like the deaths are being recorded and its quite secretive, it creates ideas about the plot of the film and is successful in drawing in the viewer as its quite unusual and interesting.

For our own title sequence, we wanted a clear link between them and plot and threat, giving clues to the audience without giving away any spoilers. We decided against the typically computer generated/typed titles and opening credits and wanted a more memorable and artistic approach. I found that if seen on their own in their unedited form, they were not particularly clear or representative of a certain genre of film, but we added jumps and scratches to the shots and edited them together in a way that created a more creepy feel and did create a good introduction to our film and genre.

Image that establishes sub-genre -                           

(Rosemary's Baby)

                                         

Image from our own film - 

This still image from Rosemary's Baby instantly tells you a lot about the sub-genre and also about her character. Although she is holding a knife which is normally associated with the 'slasher' subgenre, her body language and facial expression show her holding the knife in more self defense than with any intention, i.e. her posture is quite enclosed and she has a scared expression. She looks like she is looking for something and looks quite confused and the the use of the stereotypical plain nightdress used in many psychological horrors makes that the more likely genre.

Establishing sub-genre in one shot is quite hard, but i think because psychological horrors are all in the mind and are about what you think your seeing and not a clear threat, its obviously a lot harder to show in a shot. Instead you see the reactions to in and the consequences - for example the characters reaction or flickering lights etc. Its very character based and so we followed conventions in that respect. The image above uses a canted angle to establish a sense of confusion and that something isn't right. The CU allows us to share her fear and engage with her - we feel more involved as its very intimate and feels almost trapped - she cant escape the threat. Showing her alone in the shot, as well as her scared and confused expression gives clear clues as to the source of the fear being more psychological than physical.

Establishing Character  

The Sixth Sense -                

Character in our own film -

The image from the Sixth Sense uses a CU to show the proxemics of the two characters and therefore their relationship with each other - they appear very close and the fact that the adult has knelt down to be at the height of the child shows his concern and desire to help him. The conventions of our sub genre mean that the main character is usually a young adult and so the fact that the two main characters here are a young child and a middle aged man is very different and created an original feel to the film. We chose to use and conform to our sub genre conventions and expectations by having a teenage girl as our main character, as we wanted to use the stereotypes that come with that (e.g. easily scares, vulnerable, naive etc.) The images above establish her as an intelligent women - she's writing a novel/book and so we can assume she is late teens/ early twenties. She's seen on the phone showing that she is sociable and up to date and she seems hardworking and focused. These are traits often seen in the main character in films of this genre, and work well once the threat is introduced as their judgement and lives are tested and challenged.

Mise-en-scene -

Mise-en-scene in The Sixth Sense -                                           

                                           

Mise-en-scene in our own film -

                                              

The MLS in The Sixth Sense allows us to see the character within their natural environment and so tells us a lot of information about them, both through their costume, body language and the surrounding set - the decor, lighting and size etc. For example, he is dressed in a suit, his hair neat and cleanly shaven so we assume he is middle/upper class, he is well educated and is likely in a good job. The large eleaborate interior set i.e. chandelier and large staircase and open hallway indicate that he is successful and wealthy. The lighting makes it clear that the scene is taking place at night, and this with the fact that he is stood alone gives the scene a less comfortable look and makes us slightly apprehensive for him as stereotypically horror films are set at night-time.

The images from our own film use MLS to establish setting and show the character in her own environment. Form the location and decor of the setting we can assume she's not living on her own - perhaps in a rented house of with parents still due to the large family dining table etc. From her clothes we can see she is modern but also sensible and casual. Many films from our sub genre do take place in a house / interior confined setting. usually somewhere the character feels comfortable so that the introduction of the threat is even more prominent - they have no where safe to hide. We therefore found this location to be appropriate to our genre. Lighting is used really effectively in horror films to create fear and suspense and we began with very natural lighting throughout the house, but chose to later use shadows and flickering lighting to our advantage in showing the threat. 

Key images-

 The Sixth Sense -

                            

                             

Images from our film -

                            

                          

Often in psychological horrors a child is the character that is there to scare the audience and often is the threat within films of this sub-genre, but as communicated through the above stills form The Sixth Sense, a child character can be used within the story in a less threatening/scary way, but still as a similar role - the one who acts as a catalyst for the mental instability of another character, in this case Bruce Willis' character. Often it's a teenager that stumbles upon the threat or is mentally disturbed but here we are focussed around the interaction between a successful adult and a young but very intelligent child, and this creates a really interesting dynamic throughout the film, challenging the expectation of the sub genre.

In our film we chose to follow those conventions in terms of character. As the threat often isn't seen in psychological horrors and isn't in the case of our film, we used canted angles and other techniques to make the audience feel uncomfortable and confused. We used a mix of camera angles and shot types to allow the audience to see the setting (MS's and LS's) but also engage with the character (CU's and MCU's) as well as creating a unique opening sequence and titles for our film that set the tone and plot for the film well. 

Where and When we are filming our sequence?

Where? 74 Lewis Street :D
When? 10th and 11th february from early afternoon-early evening. 2pm till 4pm

Pictures from the Recee

Sorry it's late guys. The computers at College dislike me, so I've had to upload from home. This is the location we are currently considering

 The bedroom
The main appeal to the bedroom is the innocence of it. The bedroom is that of young boys, ranging from 8 to 13. The audience is bound to identify with the quite childish themes such as Ben 10, which should in turn make any horrifying events appear so much worse than they actually are

 The stairs look really steep! I shot like this would make me worried of falling, possibly because I have a fear of heights and a crazy imagination. All jokes aside, the lighting in this area is very dark, eerie. Plus the poor vantage point of what is round the corner, will more than likely create a degree of suspense

 The stairs again put you at a very bad vantage point of what is around the corner

 The hallway, as noted previously, has quite dark lighting, and is quite dreary in terms of brightness. This may create an almost silhouetted effect on the character, which again puts the audience at a terrible vantage point

 The bedroom - again

 The living room - currently to be decorated
Long story short, for health and safety reasons, this room would be out of bounds

 The dining room is quite plain, there is nothing that immediately jumps at you, however, it is so open that it becomes easy to miss something lurking around. For example, imagine a red demon stand by the wall. You wouldn't immediately notice it :)

Please excuse the various jackets etc. The location is in use, you know, by the family that lives there

Assessment of previous students work - Joshua-David Livingston

The video above shows a horror film from last year’s AS Media Studies class. This film is identifiable as a horror, mainly because of the unexplainable monster at the end and the title clip. The sequence demonstrates a lot of range in terms of shot types. Long shots are used to establish environment, but not used very frequently. This is most likely due to the fact that the same environment does not need introducing many times. Mid Shots are used the most in the clip, but sadly not to the users’ advantage. The MS gives across a sense of normality, which removes the desired suspense that you would expect from a horror. The use of the OSS at the end is very effective, and I feel is quite clever to use. However, the first time it is used appears quite empty, possibly because of the lack of musical influence to dictate the audience’s emotions

The majority, if not all of the camera angles are at eye level. This does not show much range, nor does it compliment the sequence. Because of the lack of range, the sequence appears quite normal and standard, preventing it from developing both fear and suspense

The sequence overall is very well framed, very rarely if ever, faltering with the framework. The only negative point to pick out is the camera is occasionally tilted and there is an instance where the rule of thirds is not adhered to, and the camera has simply moved back from the original position. This creates a sense of disorientation, because there camera appears almost to have jumped. Whilst saying that, it could be considered that the shots have an apparent disagreeing and misunderstanding of space. There are instances where the character has too much space to move in and others where the character has almost no room to move in

The mise en scene of the piece is quite standard. In terms of the storyline, the setting suited it well but I cannot help but wonder if it could have been developed more to offer more of an effect. The same applies to the body language of both characters involved. The main character did not appear very scared of the monster when they encountered each other, but was unexplainably walking tentatively toward the shed/outhouse/building of some description. The costume was relevant to their role and was fitting for the scenario

A key point that disappointed me was the lack of effective sound in the piece. The piece could so easily have been more effective if the right sound or any sound for that matter was added to the ‘empty’ scenes as I call them, e.g. when the character is walking from place to place. Nothing is happening there; that is the perfect place to put in an underscore – give the audience the impression something will happen. The majority of the sequence we are just waiting, not necessarily eagerly or anxiously anticipating, just waiting for something to happen. At the end, I feel that the ‘Oh sh*t’ should have been replaced with a high octave string, the raise the atmosphere of the scene. The sound or lack thereof really disappointed me, as it could have improved the piece is so many ways

The editing was okay, to say the least. However, the special effects toward the middle provided nothing toward the sequence, and if anything made it look more amateur than it should have. They were quite confusing, particularly raised question as to the relevance of them and how they would fit into the overall piece. There were occasions where the shot was held for too long, others where the shot could have just been removed altogether. The order of the scenes was well decided and enabled smooth transition from one place to another, but this may have been accompanied by the fact not very much really happened

Overall, I cannot help but think this piece could have been improved greatly. There was a distinct lack in many basic applications which could have raised their standard by quite a bit. However, despite this, the candidate showed basic skills and a reasonable understanding of conventions

Assessment of previous students work - Joshua-David Livingston

The video above shows a horror film from last year’s AS Media Studies class. This film is identifiable as a horror mainly due to the sound, rather than the camerawork.The shot types vary from Long Shots and Over-The-Shoulder Shots to Mid Shots and Close Ups
The Long Shots in this piece are used to give the audience an idea of the characters surroundings, and to establish a setting. These are not usually affective in horror pieces , unless the character moves from that setting. It is notable that when the audience is aware of the surroundings, they know too much already, and reduces the potential of suspense
Mid Shots are the most frequently used shots in this piece. They are generally the more natural of the shots used, and can be used to give a sense of normality, but also to give indications toward the character, such as costume and body language
Mid Close Ups are similar to Close Ups, but simply offer a bit more information to the audience such as clothing, and are more detailed than Mid Shots, giving us a greater idea of facial expression etc. These are rarely used in this piece and do not apply much affect when they are used. Close Ups are used occasionally to draw attention to particular features of the character or significant objects such as the pendant.

The most frequently evident camera angle used in this clip is the canted angle, which is strong in hinting at abnormality, and confusion. This angle is used in such a way that the character feels equally as confused as the character, which I feel is a success in terms of its use. High angle shots are rarely if ever used in this piece, possibly due to the difficulty in getting above the character. However, low angle shots are manipulated in a way that they do not put the character in a position of power, but more of panic. This angle seems to give the character space to fall, rather than displaying them as authoritative

This sequence is well framed, and does not falter in terms of framing. The rule of thirds has been used effectively, to draw particular attention to key points of the sequence, and to ensure the characters attention is correctly directed – in order for the clip to flow. The shots also give the character necessary head room and left room..

The location of the sequence is brilliant; a very dreary and depressing environment, that appears secluded with only the character evidently present. In addition to this, the actors costume suited the scene very well, black being a colour commonly associated which negative experiences. The actor must also be credited on their consistent facial expressions during the piece, which added affect to the piece.

The editing work is great in this piece, however, there are concerns raised regarding the length of some scenes. One in particular almost skips after a split second which is disappointing, bearing in mind the quality of the rest of the piece. Beside the this minor error on the editing side of the sequence, the editing was effective in creating fear. The order of scenes particularly were although unnoticed, put the audience in a great position for fear to build up

The non-diegetic soundtrack is the most effective part of the piece in my opinion. The steady rise of both tempo and dynamics had the greatest impact of the effect, creating a sense of adrenaline and suspense from the off. The underscore is very passive and blends very well behind the action. The monologue of the main character provides the audience with the context that otherwise would have been withheld from them, so in that sense it was necessary. The lack of diegetic sounds was quite effective in developing an atmosphere to the piece. It ensured the audience would focus on the underscore, as it was the only background noise present in the entire sequence

Overall, I believe this piece was effective in creating fear, but like many things, had room for improvement. None the less, good composition and good editing; a job well done

Catherine Middleton - Assessment of Previous Work 2

1.Does it look like a horror film?

Yes I think it work really well, the first shots set the tone and scene really well and although the story is quite confusing they have shot it well and added sound that really works for this film.

2.Does it have a range of shots? Is it well framed?
They’ve used really interesting shots that are very imaginative and catch your attention, for example using a shot of the camera looking upwards to see the shadow of someone walking across a translucent ceiling is really haunting as well as the shot looking through a hole in the floorboard to see the girls walking down a corridor directly underneath – gives a sense of someone following them or watching them that’s really spooky. They’ve used a full range of shots – LS’s to establish location and movement, zooms, CU’s/MS’s – allowing us to see facial expression and props in detail which create a very clear picture of what’s happening, we feel very involved despite it being quite a complicated storyline to grasp straight away. They use framing well, using the rule of thirds correctly and allowing lead room when characters are entering a shot. The blurred shots of the girl in white room are really creepy and put us slightly in her place, the unfocussed images confuse the audience. The sped up tracking shots in black and white through the buildings corridors towards the end of the film work really well and end the film in a very poignant way.

3.Does it flow or break continuity?
Yes I think it flows really well, they have edited shots together really successfully as it doesn’t feel jumpy or repetitive or make it confusing.

4.Does it have well used mise-en-scene?
Yes, they’ve used appropriate props i.e. wooden cross, matches etc. that all link to their chosen sub genre of horror film, as well as using a location that appears quite deserted and haunting. Although we do see an establishing shot of them entering an empty building we don’t see much of the insides and so that element of unknown is quite scary. They’ve used shots that allow us to see body language and proxemics between characters really clearly, although with them using candlelight to light their set it’s not always very clear as it is quite dark. However this makes the contrast between the opening scenes and the ‘white room’ scenes really striking as the colour and lighting is so different. The black costumes again provide a harsh contrast to the bold white dress worn by the girl in the white room - both colours having connotations that fit the story (E.g. black is associated with death and horror, and white sometimes with madness/strait jackets/death/ghostly feel etc.)

5.Has the sound been used to create fear? How?
They’ve used the sound of locking and closing doors to great advantage here, the fact that they have shot in very large empty spaces works really well in terms of sound – it feels very enclosed and secret, despite the rooms being very large and empty. The repetitive sound of the church bells is really quite creepy I think and works really well, it almost does put you in a kind of trance which work really well in this subgenre.

Catherine Middleton - Assessment of Previous Work

1.Does it look like a horror film?
Yes, immediately the titles set the tone for the film – typical stereotypes and colours e.g. torn book, pale scary faces, black make up and props.

2.Does it have a range of shots? Is it well framed?
Yes, there’s use of CU’s and ECU’s ion the opening few seconds which jump and scare the audience. They have used a range of angles e.g. a low angle shot as she is looking at the book, which lets us see her facial expression really clearly, although quite repetitive. They’ve also used an O.S.S as she’s looking at the book which works well as it allows us to see almost from her point of view – we are getting the information at the same time as her so we feel involved. The use of a P.O.V shot of the ghost walking towards her in the bathroom works really well as they have combined it when editing to jump between that shot and a shot showing an empty corridor -this enhances the fear factor and works really well in showing the situation. They chose to use a MS/MLS for the opening visual of the couple sat on the floor which allows us to see the body language. The couple are positioned well within the rule of thirds – their faces at a point of intersection and so drawing the focus there. However, they don’t use many LS, which limits the amount of the location and costume we can see. However it gives it a sense of being trapped and enclosed which works well for this genre.

3.Does it flow or break continuity?
I think most of the shots are edited well, however some are quite jumpy – some being very similar to the previous shot and so looking a bit repetitive maybe due to that fact that the 30 degree rule has not been followed between shots. However most of it flows well and the story is easy to follow.

4.Does it have well used mise-en-scene?
I think the mise-en-scene is quite hard to see in some parts due to the lack of LS/Establishing Shots but it is clear that it’s in an empty, quite tatty derelict house and that is a stereotypical setting for horror films so this worked well. They have used the space well, showing a range of locations as well as showing characters movements e.g. upstairs. The lighting here has been used well as they have left it quite dim but the light source is angled so as to create shadows which create fear for the audience. In terms of props, they introduce the film with a battered old book, however I find it quite confusing as I don’t see how that relates to the rest of the scene – how is that related to the ghost? What do the markings mean? We can clearly see body language but often it is only from the waist upwards and so facial expression is clear and we can see her fear. It also allows us to establish the relationship between eh characters due to their proxemics in the first scene.

5.Has the sound been used to create fear? How?
It uses both diegetic and non-diegetic sound well I think – for example, there are very short,sudden non diegetic noises at moments that make you jump e.g. when a hand grabs the book in her hands, which I think heightens the moment and does make you scared. They have also used diegetic sounds e.g. the typical ‘scream’, which is used most effectively at the end, leaving us in suspense and worry – we don’t know what happened to her and have the irrational worry that it could now happen to us! I think certain moment are unnecessary, for example the sounds and jumps and she is taking steps up the stairs, I think these slow the piece down and break the suspense that was beginning to build.

Story Board

The images below show the story board of our film. From the film outline, we have drew exactly what we are hoping for our shots to look like.

On the first sheet of the story board, the first shot will be a CU of the kettle and the character turning it on. This shot will last 2 seconds. The second shot will be a MCU of the character on the phone talking to her friend. This shot will last 2 seconds. The third shot will be ECU of the characters mouth talking down the phone to her friend. This shot will also last 2 seconds. The forth shot will be a MS of the woman looking slightly afraid of the phone randomly cutting out. This shot will last 3 seconds. The fifth shot will be a CU of the phone with a strange voice talking on the end of the line. This shot will last 3 seconds. The sixth shot will be a MCU of the character with the phone held up to her ear wondering who could be on the other end of the phone. This shot will last 3 seconds.

On the second sheet of the storyboard, the seventh shot is a MS of the character dropping the phone, the camera will pan down, following the phone as it drops. This shot will last 2 seconds. The eighth shot will be a CU of the characters foot and the phone lying on the ground with a dead end phone line blasting out of the phone. This shot will last 2 seconds. The ninth shot will be a MS of the bottom half of the character walking, this shot will last 2 seconds. The tenth shot will be a MCU of the characters right hand side of her face. This shot will last 2 seconds. The eleventh shot will be the same as shot 10 but on the opposite side of her face/body using MCU, this shot will last 2 seconds. The twelfth shot will be at a high angle loooking down on the stairs with the character walking up the stairs (this will make the actor seem vulnerable). This shot will last 2.5 seconds.

On the third sheet of the storyboard, the thirteenth shot is an OSS of the character walking, this will give the sense as if somebody/something is following her. This shot will last 2.5 seconds. The fourteenth shot will be a MS of the character opening the bathroom door slowly. This shot will be 2 seconds. The fifteenth shot will be a LS of the bathroom showing the bathroom door opening. This shot will last 2 seconds. The sixteenth shot will be a POV shot of the character stood outside of the bathroom door showing fear all over her face. This shot will last 2 seconds. The seventeenth shot will be a CA, this will make the scene more interesting. This shot will last 4 seconds. The eighteenth shot will be a MCU/CA. By using this kind of shot you will be able to see the confusion and worry on her face. This shot will last 3 seconds.

On the final storyboard sheet, the ninteenth shot will be MCU high angle, this will make the character seem weak and unpowerful. The length of the shot will be 3 seconds. The twentieth shot will be a CU of the character with her hands up to her head screaming in distress as she can hear voices in her head. This shot will last 2 seconds. The twenty-first shot will be a complete black out with the voice overlapping what the character can hear in her head. This shot will last 1 second. The twenty-second shot will be a MS of a door opening to a dark room. This shot will last 1.6 seconds. The twenty-third shot will be a MCU of the characters bedroom, floor boards will be creaking. This shot will last 1.6 seconds. The last shot (twenty-forth) will be a close up of the characters face with her sat in the corner of her room. She will be unconscious as the paranoia would have got to her. This shot will last 1.6 seconds.

New title sequence template

We decided to re-do our title sequence as we thought that it didn't match our actual film and would look slightly random. So we decided that we could edit some bits out and make it more like our sequence that we are going to film. We have taken 2 of the cast out as we are only having one actor within our film, so the extra two are no longer on our title sequence sheet.

 

Lighting Exercise

The images and information below discuss our experience using the 3 point lighting techniques. During this exercise we experiment what each light is like without the use of another e.g. 

• just the key light on
• just the fill light on
• just the back light on
• all of the lights on
• back light and key light
• key light and fill light
• back light and fill light

The image above shows what a shot would be like if just the Fill light was on. The fill light is placed on the right hand side at a 45 degree angle from the object. With just the Fill light on, it creates a shadow along the back of the object and the left hand side of the object (from POV).

The image above shows what a shot would look like with just the key light on. The key light is placed on the left hand side at a 45 degree angle from the object. With just the key light on, it creates a shadow along the right hand side and the back of the object (from POV). Although the key light is also placed at a 45 degree angle, it is placed further back than the fill light. This is to create definition to the face and shoulders.

The image above shows what a shot would look like with just the back light on. The back light is place behind and above the object (out of the shot) hence the name 'backlight'. With just the back light on, it creates a shadow in front of the subject that defines the head and the face.

The image above shows what a shot would look like with just the back light and fill light turned on. This creates a shadow on the left hand side of the subject (from POV) and defines the back and right hand side of the subjects head and shoulders.

 The image above shows what a shot would be like if just the back light and key light was turned on. This creates a shadow on the right hand side of the subject (from POV). This defines the left hand side of head and shoulders on the subject.

The image above shows what a shot would be like if the key and fill light was turned on. This creates a shadow behind the subject and makes the picture seem really dark. It makes the subject blend in with the background so it is hard to focus on the main part of the subject (the face). 

The image above shows what a shot would be like with all of the lights turned on. Shadows are created in all of the wrong places and your main focus is on what is happening in the background not on the actual subject where all the focus is meant to be on.

Emily Pyrek, Assessment of previous work 2.

The video above shows the film of last years AS media students horror film. You are able to identify this as a horror film by the use of sound effects, camera shots and types and SFX. The range of shot types used are LS, ECU, CU, POV, OSS, MS and low angle. The LS is used to show the audience the location where the main character is. The ECU shows the importance of certain objects and makes them more effective, like something is going to happen due to that certain subject or something is going to happen because of that certain subject. E.G. the main characters eyes and the door handle when he opens his bedroom door and also when he turns on the light. The CU is used to show facial expression on how the character is feeling, it shows emphasis on the characters emotions so you can engage with how they are feeling. The POV shot is used when the main character is looking through the mirror. By using this certain shot at this point in the sequence, we get a feeling as though somebody else is watching him through the mirror (like they are behind the mirror but he cant see). The OSS is used when the main character comes across a strange figure and he taps him on the shoulder to see who/what it is. This almost feels like somebody else is following the main character other than the other person within that shot. MS is used to focus on the characters body language as well as facial expression. This gives the audience more understanding on how the character is feeling. The low angle is used when the main character is in the woods, when it shows him looking around. The low angle suggests that the main character is feeling weak and vulnerable as to what may be lurking out there in the tree's.

This sequence is well framed as it uses the rule of thirds. The whole point of using the rule of thirds is to get your eyes to focus on the main subject of what is happening within the scene; and this film does this very nicely. Your eyes and brain are always concentrating on the main subject within a shot although it does have a continuity error when the main character is looking through the mirror then all of a sudden he is in the woods. It doesn't make sense and is very hard to understand because you don't know what has happened for him to be from in his home to miraculously be in the woods.

The have good idea's of mise-en-scene although the location doesn't flow. 1 minute they are in a house and then the next minute they are in the woods. It is very confusing and makes the audience think how he has got in to the wood. I think the mise-en-scene would of worked if they showed how and why he went into the woods for it to make more sense and less confusing. Other than that, i think they have some great idea's.

There is use of contrapuntal, diegetic sound used in this sequence, for example, at the start of the film, there are noises of babies crying and a childs lullaby playing, although a child is not present throughout the whole of the film and has nothing to do with a child, it doesn't make sense and doesnt match the whole concept of the film. The non-diegetic sound gets louder and slower as he gets up and gets out of bed, which creates a creepy atmosphere and makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as you think something scary is going to happen. It is disappointing when you expect something to happen due to the non-diegetic noises and then it doesn't happen at all. Diegetic sound is abit out of timing, as the slamming of the door happens after the door has closed. A bang happens and the main character looks behind him. There is a black out and all of a sudden he is in the woods. The noise doesn't explain what has happened...He uses dialogue to show his emotion as when he falls over he says 'OW' which implies that he has hurt himself. There is many uses of non-diegetic sound, especially when he was wondering around the woods to search for someone/something. It is a guitar melody, like it is a theme tune of his adventure. This is used so there are no awkward silences as he wandering around the woods. The way he uses dialogue by saying 'Hello' and 'Can you help me?' is rather cheesy and would have a much more scarier effect if he toned down the amount of speaking he did.

Emily Pyrek, Assessment of previous work

The video above is a film of last years AS media students horror film. You are able to identify this as a horror film by the use of sound effects, SFX, camera shots and types. The range of shots used are LS, MS, ECU, CA, high angle, POV, OSS, and low angle. The LS is used to show where the main character has just walked from and where he is walking to. The MS, shows body language as well as facial expression. The ECU zooms in on the clock, this shows that at a certain time he is going to turn into a 'vampire'. The canted angle is used when the character collapses and the camera is shown going past the 180 degree rule when he is just about to turn into a vampire and is having flashbacks of his memory. The OSS shot is used after the main character has turned into a vampire and he goes to look at himself in the mirror, this gives a sense as if somebody is stood behind him. The POV shot is used when he goes out to linger around the streets and he walks up behind somebody and bites them. The high angle is used when the doorbell rings and he goes to see who it is out of his bedroom window, making the other character seem weak and vulnerable. The low angle is used when the other character is stood waiting for the main character to answer the door, and the camera looks up to the bedroom window making him seem powerful.

The rule of thirds is used within this horror film, you can identify this because when you look at the screen, your eyes focus on the main subject (the main character). I think that this film is well framed and flows really well, although it does jump slightly but you do not recognise it.

I feel as though it doesn't have good mise-en-scene as exposure is really dark and it is hard to make out what body language the character is doing. It would be more interesting to watch if the setting was lighter, so you don't have to strain your eyes to make out what is happening within the sequence. Other than that, i think that is very well filmed.


There are many uses of non-diegetic sound which creates an airy feeling to the atmosphere, the audience feels threatened and worried for the main character as you know that something bad is going to happen, yet the the main character can't hear, so he is oblivious to our feelings. I think the sound effects have been used in all the right places. Parallel sound has been used alot especially when the vampire is sucking his friends blood. Heightened sound is used alot during the sequence as it gives emphasis as to what is happening.

Make Up Testing

We thought more about how we wanted our character to look and did plans for their make up and costume, based on characters we'd seen in related films from the genre as well as taking into account our target audience, the age and the situation of the character and also the way we want the audience to feel about them. We wanted them to appear very simply dressed - casual but comfortable - and look very tired i.e. pale skin, dark baggy eyes etc. to give them the appearance of a hard-worker but over run, and susceptible to a mental breakdown.

Target Audience Research

We each looked at the audiences the films we had researched earlier were aimed at and how that was evident in elements of the film. We then thought about our own target audience and how we were going to appeal to them through our own film.

Target Audience Research for The Sixth Sense -     (Catherine Middleton)

Target Audience Research for The Shining -    (Emily Pyrek)

Target Audience for our own film  -  (Catherine Middleton)