Fourth day of filming

Evaluation- what we learnt
On the 30th November, the fourth day of filming, we decided to film scenes that included both Jane(Mingma) and Lucy(Vidhee) but we had some difficulties of the lightning despite not being dark. Even though a torch from someone's phone to help us, it didn't make a sufficient difference for us to film that specific scene as well as any other scene we would like to film. Therefore, the lesson we gained from this is that we need to make sure that we have a torch with us at all times as well as something bright to help with the lightning despite us thinking it wouldn't have a drastic impact.

Third day of filming

Evaluation- what we learnt
On the 25th November, our third day of filming, we filmed the scenes whereby Vidhee had to run away with a bloody foot with some other scenes also. This was by far the most effective days we had during our production process as we were able to get so many scenes done in such an sufficient time. The lesson we gained from this is that we should get any possible essentials or to avoid any of the team members from getting hurt whilst filming. Despite the effectiveness of this day, there were some many harmful risks that were prevalent that could have caused anyone from being injured especially the scene when Vidhee had to run with a bloody foot. So, we aim to avoid these evident harmful risks in any further filming days.

Discussions what we want to do

Evaluation- what we learnt
On the 21st November, we decided to have a group discussion of what scenes we would like to film. But, the reason why we filmed this discussion despite having filmed some shots already is because we left the more difficult scenes to film later on so this required great concentration as well as greater co-operation within the group of what we would like to film. This enabled us to discuss our ideas amongst with the team members of the group which will allow us to avoid much discussion and talk from delaying when film those difficult shots when the time did come. So, what we clearly learnt is the significance of discussing our ideas and how this allowed us to understand one's perspective more better if we did not have a discussion.

Second day of filming

Evaluation-what I learnt
On the 19th November, our second day of filming, we aimed to film some of Lucy's(Vidhee's) scenes as well as Jane's(Mingma's) but we had some difficulties. There were some personal harmful risks whereby this had affected Mingma's hand therefore we were unable to film Jane's scenes(Mingma's) through Mingma's hands playing a major role on what she was meant to do. Despite this, we were able to film Lucy's(Vidhee's) scenes. So, the lesson we gained from this day is that we should bring some gloves to avoid this problem and we should film in a specific time whereby this wouldn't be an evidential problem.

First day filming

Evaluation- what we learnt
On the 18th November, which was our first day filming, we filmed some footage whereby Vidhee will be shown. Despite the limitation of shots being shot, it was a very effective day and we were able to get more shots done than what we expected to get done. From this whole day, we learnt how to avoid disruption when Mingma was doing her make-up as well as knowing to avoid from filming after school as the reason we weren't able to film as many shots was due to the fact that it went dark very quickly. So, we aim to avoid this evidential problem when we film next.

Make up video

Evaluation- what we learnt
On the 14th November, we wanted to practise learning how to put any demonic symbols on one's arm which will be used on Vidhee's arm when we film hopefully. But, there were some difficulties as Mingma's , are Make-Up artist, method wasn't working through not being able to see the demonic symbol on Lucy's (Vidhee's) arm. Therefore, as we didn't want to waste any more valuable time, we decided to do Jane's(Mingma's) Make-Up. But, Mingma wanted to put it on Vidhee so she can see how it would look when she puts it on herself. Despite the failures of the demonic symbol on Vidhee's arm, Jane's(Mingma's) makeup on Vidhee worked out very well. The lesson we gained from doing this is even though there were some difficulties we always had a back-up plan which we hope this could be ingrained when filming our teaser trailer.

Pre-Production intro evaluation

We have currently finished all the essential tasks needed for the pre-production which will help us progress to the production as well as post-production process. If there is more that we did not add in the pre-production then we will mention it in our evaluation or add that piece of missing information in green. This now means that we will get prepared to start our Horror teaser trailer which will include us finding background sound or perhaps we may make our own, shoot the film and photographs of the film shoot. The camera test shots, equipment list, title/graphics design and production company ident will all be decided during our production process which we will explain why we chose to do this during our production process rather than the pre-production process in our evaluation.

Analysing Locations in Horror film

Evaluation- what I learnt
From this task, we were able to understand what is the most prevalent location in Horror films as well as the mainstream Horror films which we have incorporated their conventions into our Horror film and hope to replicate a mainstream type Horror film. So, this gave us an insight of how the location plays a significant role in the film and how the location is used to portray a certain type of feeling. From this task, the lesson we learnt is what location we would like to have for our own Horror film through the examples of the locations of Horror films especially from the film, the Conjuring 2, as our inspiration of our film idea is from the Conjuring

Casting list

Evaluation- what we learnt
As with our evaluation of the casting photos, we only have a limited explanation of why we chose those particular casts. So, from doing an detailed explanation of the casting list with reasons why we chose them, this gave us a better understanding of the problems faced in the Hollywood industry and how we have to mix both us subverting as well as conforming to the stereotypes of a typical Hollywood Horror film. 

Costume research

Evaluation- what we learnt
From doing this costume research, we learned the importance of clothing and how this plays an significant role of portraying a certain feeling. As we want to incorporate realism in our Horror film, we think it is more appropriate for the characters to wear casual wear especially if we want to portray teenagers in a particular way as well as attracting the teen target market as they will relate to the characters. So, the lesson learnt from this task is that we need to ensure that there is consistency of the characters wearing the same clothes they chose to wear on the first filming day. This will avoid problems during our production process.

Casting photos

We held an casting session whereby we took pictures of our finalised casting photos. Before the 16th November, we had collection of people who we picked to play in our teaser trailer but we didn't want to have problems whereby they wouldn't be able to come in our preferred day to film during our production process. So, considering, we will have roughly around three people featured in the teaser trailer which is similar to the amount of people we have in our group, we decided to have us all featured in the teaser trailer with one or two friends used as an extras in our teaser trailer. This allows us to have greater flexibility as to what days will be suitable for us and we are able to discuss what we would like to do more often in our class compared to our friends whom were not taking Media as an subject.

Evaluation- what we learnt
When taking photos for our finalised list for our cast, we picked people that are different from the ethnicity from what we clearly stated in our character profile. The reason why picked ethnic minorities rather than someone who is White is because we realised that we wanted to subvert the ethnic stereotypes that Hollywood films tend to have of ethnic minorities by having an all ethnic minority cast in our film despite our Horror teaser trailer conforming to all the conventions that is shown from an Hollywood Horror film.

Character Profile with descriptions

If you are unable to see the character profile in slideshare format, you may see it from this Mircosoft PowerPoint online format.

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Character profile descriptions

If you are unable to see the character profile descriptions in slideshare format, you may see it from this Mircosoft Word online format.

Evaluation- what we learnt

From doing this character profile, we learnt the importance of giving a different portrayal to individual characters which will enable the audience to have different perceptions of what they think of the characters. But, Kate is not going to be in the teaser trailer of our film as much, so it will be difficult to fully understand Kate to give an interpretation of her. But, this character profile has gave us an idea of what we hope the different characters to be like.

Treatment

If you are unable to see the Treatment in slide share format, you may see it from this Mircosoft PowerPoint online format.

Narrative

If you are unable to see the Narrative in slideshare format, you may see it from this Microsoft Word online format.



Evaluation- what we learnt
We decided not to have a typical Film treatment as it will be too over complicated and we are making a film teaser trailer not an actual film. The reason why we didn't specifically specify what will happen in each scene in technical terms is because teaser trailers tend to have a different technicality than what is shown in an actual film. This treatment has helped me, including my group, what we need to make an successful teaser trailer as we know everything about our film and what message we hope to get across to our target market.

Location List

Evaluation- what we learnt
This location list lays out down the foundations of our film teaser trailer which will help us film quicker and more efficiently as we know where our location is. Through this whole research of what location we would like to have our film in gave us essential knowledge of how significant location is to our film especially of an Horror genre. If we chose to film in a forest that looks to mysterious like and too clean then it would be difficult for the audience to be scared. Even though the location would be edited, if the location looks scary in real life then it makes our lives easier as to when we are editing thus increasing the audience's likelihood of being scared.

Risk Assessment

Evaluation- what I learnt
This risk assessment has the basic overview of what risks we may face and how we will avoid this from happening completely. Depending on where we film, we may not encounter some or possibly, most of these hazard as it may not have 'electric fencing' or 'level crossings' therefore it could be argued there is slightly no point of putting this in my risk assessment. But, this helps us prepare for any risks we may face which clearly shows how we want to avoid any occurrences from happening when we film and we are trying to manage our time more effectively which was a major problem for us last year.

Camera shots

What was the purpose of taking camera shots?
The purpose of our group taking camera shots is that it prepares us to what feeling we want to prevail when we take our own camera shots for our Horror teaser trailer. This also helps us to figure out what exactly is our strength and what is our weakness so we needed to make sure our weakness doesn't bring us down like last year so we wanted to prepare us ourselves to an extent that we will be able to create a successful Horror teaser trailer as we originally hoped.


Extreme Close Up

From our knowledge from last year, we know that the purpose of an extreme close up is to be able to see detail and we are able to see how the character is feeling more if the camera is put on an extreme close up. The reason why Horror films tend to use extreme close ups is for the audience to see how the character is feeling  before something eerie happens. This allows us to feel more sympathy for the character than if it was a medium shot. This also helps, as stated before, allows 'moral panic' or 'moral chaos'(William Barclay) to happen more easily as the audience is focused on the character's emotions that they wouldn't even think a paranormal entity will even come out randomly which is a Horror key convention in all well-known Horror films.

This extreme close up is focused on Vidhee's eyes which displays knowledge as the Biblical meaning of eyes helps us figure out what is right from wrong and allows us to avoid darkness completely thus allowing us to get to lightness. But, the fact the camera took a shot of Vidhee's left eye displays that despite her having knowledge she will be trapped by darkness.


Extreme Wide Shot

From our knowledge from last year, we know that the purpose of an extreme wide shot is to help display the location which seems to be prevalent in the start of lots of opening sequences in films regardless of their genre. This helps the audience help familiarise with the location so they do not get confused in the film and it tends to be the primary location or the location whereby the equilibrium has been disrupted first(Todorov). Despite the differing themes shown in Horror films, they generally all have an establishing shot or some sort of extreme wide shot in the start of the film which clearly shows an extreme wide shot has a great significance to films especially for the Horror genre. The significance of an extreme wide shot is that it allows multiple film theories to be incorporated such as Todorov's narrative theory.

This extreme wide shot of this greenery area clearly shows harmony, freshness and progress but the good reason to use this sort of location as the establishing or extreme wide shot for our Horror film is that it is generally perceived that nature is where everything flourishes and where everything is safe but if something bad happens there that clearly contradicts the meaning shown by a greenery place.

Medium shot

From our knowledge from last year, we know that the purpose of an medium shot is to give detail but not give too much detail to an extent that we will know everything as shown by an extreme close up and close up. Medium shots are generally used for characters specifically for the purpose for us to understand how they are feeling through their body language. This is used quite frequently in films when characters are in dialogue but this isn't only prevalent in the film industry but in news channels also through a medium shot of the news anchor and the correspondent through allowing the audience to possibly see the background behind the correspondent. This type of shot is quite prevalent in Horror films when fear gets to the 'final girl' or the main character and the audience is able to see them unravel.

This medium shot of a hooded person shows that the person is possibly hiding from someone and the fact their body posture is slanted shows their vulnerability as well as possibly they feel uncomfortable. 

Close up

From our knowledge from last year, we know that the purpose of an close up is that we are able to see detail and they tend to exaggerate more therefore this will make the audience think a certain way when if it was shot in a medium shot or any other shot(other than an extreme close up) then we wouldn't get the same message. So, it can be argued that the film theory of 'Hypodermic Needle Theory', that was promulgated by Harold Lasswell in the 1920's, is enforced by close-ups as we are more likely to be an passive audience than an active audience when we see a close-up shot. Therefore, the reason why close-ups are important in Horror films is that it allows Horror film directors to exaggerate how the character is feeling so we feel more obliged to feel sympathy for when the audience is feeling emotional than if we see a medium shot and the character's emotional state leaves them to move themselves repeatedly which may make the audience laugh.

This close-up of a can shows that it has been drank for someone as there are some juice drops around the top part of the can and the fact that it is on the floor foreshadows that someone may step on it. If, this close-up of a can, for symbolic terms then the person may feel empty similarly as the can is.
Low angle

From our knowledge from last year, we know that the purpose of an low angle is that it makes the audience feel vulnerable and small compared to the subject. This gives authority and superiority to the subject therefore we can clearly know that they have dominance as opposed if the angle was high. It can be also argued that this angle could correlate to how the character is feeling as if there was a character that feels very authoritative in that moment as opposed to other moments then possibly it might be a suitable moment for the director for the angle to be of a high angle but this also depends on what makes them feel authoritative which can reflect as to why the angle is high rather than normal or low. This is important for Horror films when the 'final girl' or the main character is in trouble and the killer is going to kill them or possibly the other way round.

This low angle of someone holding on to a can could possibly show that they are protecting the can which means the only reason why the can has some sort of authority is that it has protection. The fact that the can is of a higher authority from the building in the background shows that it is above everything despite being protected which gives the can that authority.

High angle

From our knowledge from last year, we know that the purpose of an high angle is that it gives less significance to the subject and they are 'swallowed up' by their setting. But, high angles, depending on how the character looks, could be used for the purpose of making the character scary. So, it could be used in a scary purpose if the subject is in front not necessarily looking up by looking right in front of them and some people behind them could give them that authoritative figure. Despite the different purposes specifically for high angle shots, the reason why the purpose of high angles is important for Horror films is that it allows the director the chance to make the character look weak and vulnerable but the fact we are unable to see what they are seeing makes us wonder what is troubling or unsettling them thus this camera technique already engages us with the film.

This high angle of a can belittles its existence which makes us wonder why it is even on the floor in the first place.

Evaluation- what I learnt
From experimenting different camera shots, we learnt how essential this is to our pre-production and production process as this prepares us to what particular shot or what angle should that shot be in order to give a certain feeling we want the audience to feel.  This, as we are doing a Horror film, we have learnt how crucial it is to perfect our shots which will enable us to then edit our film more easily.

Comparative Critical Analysis- Poltergeist and Sinister 2

Comparative Critical analysis 

The two films I chose to compare and contrast is the Poltergeist and Sinister 2. The reason why I chose to compare and contrast these specific films is because they clearly show the developments of the Horror genre as well as the film industry as a whole and they are both similar but at the same time differing to one another.

Firstly, the representation of women has changed to certain extent. For example, in the 2015 film of Sinister 2 the female character, Courtney Collins is the lead female, however she is the only female in the narrative. This shown in the significant screen time that grows, changes and ensembles in any adventures faced which clearly shows her significance in helping everyone eradicate Bughuul. This contradicts to the representation of women shown in Poltergeist whereby the mother‘s only source of power is when something is going to happen/or is happening to her child and generally when it is given to her. This is shown through the middle shot of the Diane Freeling is standing behind Steve Freeling with his finger stopping Diane from saying anything whereby she speaks when he stops thus showing his dominance and the extent of the ‘male gaze’(Mulvey) in showing the gender hierarchy. Both of these films fall into the trap of hindering women’s authority and indeed does show women to be ‘takers of shit’ as the whole film industry works in a neoliberal approach thus we must go against the system by to “encourage audiences to critique the seemingly transparent images on the screen and to question the manipulative techniques of filming and editing”.

Secondly, the narrative of the Poltergeist is a family’s home is haunted by a host of ghosts whereby they try to devour one of the children, Carol Anne. This is shown when she is the only one that knows when they come by stating “They are here” near the TV as well as saying “TV people” so casually and innocently. This is important because the narrative is built on the “increasing disbelief in the idea of innocence” (Christopher Sharrett), soon to be deceiving audiences and resulting in complete opposite ‘truth-claim’. This narrative is very similar to Sinister 2 whereby a young mother and her two twin sons move into a rural house that’s marked for death which the evil spirit, Bughuul wants to keep children for his own purpose and wants to devour what makes them potentially children, their innocence. Dylan, one of the twin brothers, is represented as “somewhat like you and even act a bit like you and eventually, they come to replace you” (David Leslie Johnson, screenwriter of the film, Orphan). Both of these characters give the impression that they are the victim but in factor perhaps the title of these films are a cinematic taboo through the little girl being the ‘poltergeist’ and Dylan causing ‘sinister’ to occur in the house. The effect Horror films like this has on the film industry is that Horror films are ranked 7^th out of all the most popular genres with having a share of only 4.55% compared to the 22% share Adventure films have shown the ‘moral panic’ Horror films have on a clearly ‘passive’ audience. This is shown through the multiple child killings that occur especially the abduction, torture and murder of James Bulger by two ten-year boys clearly shows there is a growing ‘disbelief of the idea of innocence’. This may explain why Horror films don’t dominate the box office as much as other genres.

Thirdly, the setting of the Poltergeist is set in the suburbia which worked to undermine the “white flight” sense that “nothing could hurt you in suburbia”. When the trailer ends with “Now… Steven Spielberg crosses a frightening minstrel… a world within our own… its form is revealed… its focus is clear… and the games are over”. This clearly makes us wonder what is going to happen as well as causing ‘moral panic’ because this could possibly to any of us as they are a normal, happy family shown through the cheery sister telling her brother with “You are so nuts” whilst smiling. This film clearly follows Todorov’s narrative theory where there is equilibrium at the start of the trailer but the narrator foreshadows there will be a disruption by stating ‘… the one next to that... A young couple live in it… with their 3 children…. And something more” with a non-diegetic sinister music in the background when he says “and something more”.  Whereas, the setting of Sinister 2 is set in a farm house which already foreshadows what will happen. But, the difference between the Poltergeist and Sinister 2 is that the setting isn’t necessarily the most vital component of what makes the film scary which compares to the importance of the setting in the Poltergeist. Therefore, it could be argued that Sinister 2 makes the audience more active and they will ‘take on additional more active ideological dimensions’ (Stuart Hall, 1980) by possibly learning how to eradicate evil through learning how to do so. Therefore, Sinister 2 is for the audience “exhibiting varying kinds and degrees of activity” whereas the Poltergeist is used to “believe social reality portrayed on television”.

In conclusion, it could be said the reason why these films are differed to an extent is due to the Poltergeist being produced by the Metro Goldwyn Mayer as compared to Sinister 2 being produced by Alliance Films and Blumhouse Films. But they are so similar through the female characters do not have “the slightest importance (Erens, 1990) even though it could be argued that Sinister 2 is better than the Poltergeist through its female representation because the mother has more screen time than the mother in the Poltergeist. The Poltergeist seems to cause more of a ‘moral panic’ than Sinister 2 as it was set in the suburbia whereas Sinister 2 was set in a farm house. The idea of movies set in the suburbia was in the 80’s therefore the audience wouldn’t know what to expect. The whole set-up of the Poltergeist allowed the audience to be more ‘passive’ than the Sinister 2 which allowed them to have twice as much profit as them with the Poltergeist having 121.7 million in the US compared to Sinister 2 having 52.9 million in the US. Therefore, this essay clearly shows how such theories have such a great effect on the film industry having a more saturated audience and if they aren’t used effectively like Sinister 2 they can have a negative effect.