Remember Andrew Marvel and Henton's Law!
Get things done!
Get things done!
Term 3 : Production (Construction) Phase
You should have everything completed on your blog in relation to Research and Planning. I will be assessing this evidence and awarding you a mark out of 20 based on what is shown on your blog.
In today's lesson you will be asked to complete a Coursework Checkpoint sheet.
Moving Forwards
Term 3 now sees us entering the production phase of your film opening.
This is when you will be filming your raw footage and recording evidence of this process via your blog.
Which Camera to use?
You can either use your own video camera (if you have one) or borrow one of the video cameras that we have in the media department. Whichever you choose to do you must use the same camera for all of your recordings.
We have 2 types of camcorder available for you to borrow:
You must practise using the camera in advance of filming in order to ensure that you know how to use the camera correctly.
In order to achieve a Level 3 mark of higher you must have evidence on your blog of this practice filming taking place and what you learn from the process.
Please ensure that you refer to the user manual for your camera to ensure that you can use it correctly.
The Canon Legria FS200 User Manual can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
The Canon HFR106 User Manual can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
You will be awarded a mark out of 60 for the Construction of your film opening.
This mark is determined by the following evidence:
It is really important that you have evidence on your blog of the filming of your raw footage.
This will be largely pictorial (designate someone with the task of taking photographs of you filming) but should also include any commentary you may wish to make on how successful your filming sessions are. Did you encounter any issues or difficulties? If so, how did you overcome these?
Deadline for Completion
All raw footage and evidence of filming must be completed by Tuesday 9th February.
In today's lesson you will be asked to complete a Coursework Checkpoint sheet.
Moving Forwards
Term 3 now sees us entering the production phase of your film opening.
This is when you will be filming your raw footage and recording evidence of this process via your blog.
Which Camera to use?
You can either use your own video camera (if you have one) or borrow one of the video cameras that we have in the media department. Whichever you choose to do you must use the same camera for all of your recordings.
We have 2 types of camcorder available for you to borrow:
- Canon Legria FS200 SD
- Canon Legria HFR106 HD
You must practise using the camera in advance of filming in order to ensure that you know how to use the camera correctly.
In order to achieve a Level 3 mark of higher you must have evidence on your blog of this practice filming taking place and what you learn from the process.
Please ensure that you refer to the user manual for your camera to ensure that you can use it correctly.
The Canon Legria FS200 User Manual can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
The Canon HFR106 User Manual can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
Construction : Recording Evidence of Filming On Your Blog
You will be awarded a mark out of 60 for the Construction of your film opening.
This mark is determined by the following evidence:
- Evidence and discussion of the filming of your raw footage.
- Evidence and discussion of the editing of your raw footage.
- Your completed film opening.
It is really important that you have evidence on your blog of the filming of your raw footage.
This will be largely pictorial (designate someone with the task of taking photographs of you filming) but should also include any commentary you may wish to make on how successful your filming sessions are. Did you encounter any issues or difficulties? If so, how did you overcome these?
Deadline for Completion
All raw footage and evidence of filming must be completed by Tuesday 9th February.
Research and Planning Self-Assessment
I would like us to stop and review what the evidence on your blogs suggests about your progress to date in relation to your research and planning.
Here is the Level 4 criteria in relation to Research and Planning:
Here is the Level 4 criteria in relation to Research and Planning:
There are 8 bullet points that your blog evidence will be judged against.
I would like you to look through your blog and focus on the following things:
- Research into horror films
- Research into a potential target audience
- Time management
- Use of digital technology or ICT
- Communication skills
- Level of care taken in the presentation of work
Create a post in your blog with the title Research and Planning Self Assessment
In this post I would like you to reflect on the evidence of each of the above 6 things as it stands in published posts on your blog at this moment in time.
This is the evidence that is actually there.
For each bullet point:
- Copy and paste the bullet point as a sub-title
- State whether you think that the evidence that you have on your blog is Excellent, Good, Basic or Minimal
- Provide an explanation, including specific supporting examples, to justify your self-assessment
- Explain what you think you need to do in order to improve the quality of your blog evidence both historically and from this point onwards
I will then post a comment under your post in which I explain my judgement at present and offer advice about making improvements.
What Needs To Be Done?
Here are the planning tasks that need to be completed between now and when we return to school in January:
Planning : Target Audience Feedback
Planning - Writing A Treatment For Your Chosen Opening
Planning - Writing A Screenplay For Your Opening
Planning - Producing A Storyboard For Your Opening
Planning - Location Planning For Your Opening
Planning - Casting For Your Opening (if characters are required)
Planning - Considering Mise-en-Scene For Your Opening - costume and props
Planning - Producing A Shot List
Planning - Filming Schedule
You should all now be busily collating audience feedback and this will allow you to then decide upon the idea for your film's opening.
Once you have done this you need to create a post titled Planning : Target Audience Feedback in which you, as in previous posts, explain the process you followed to generate audience feedback and provide evidence of this.
When deciding upon the idea that you are going to move forwards with, remember that you must always keep in mind that you are only producing the opening 2 minutes including titles - don't try to cram in too much and consider how you can avoid ending up with a film opening that looks more like a trailer!
Once, as a group, you have confirmed the idea you want to move forwards with, the next step is to begin planning it in detail.
This will require you to write a TREATMENT for it.
What is a TREATMENT?
You have already produced a synopsis of your film idea (your 60 second pitch) and shared this with your target audience. A treatment is a more detailed account of what you envisage your film's opening to look like once it has been completed.
The treatment has to be done before you can move on to the production of a storyboard and a screenplay for your opening.
Try to think of it this way; if the storyboard is the blue screen for your screenplay, then the treatment is the blueprint for your storyboard.
Your treatment for the opening of your film must be produced electronically and should fit onto 1 side of A4.
You need to have a single treatment for your group but this will need to be worked on collaboratively. The top of the sheet should be titled as follows:
The treatment should then explain how you, as directors, envisage your film opening will look.
You need to talk through what you think the audience will see and hear during this opening 2 minutes.
Make sure that your treatment includes references to how titles will be used as well as non-diegetic sound.
Here is an example of a treatment produced by previous students:
The film starts with an establishing shot of an empty field.
DENCH Productions appears on the screen.
This then fades out into a black screen and the diegetic sound of the wind is heard.
The black screen then fades to an empty field where the non-diegetic music gradually gets louder. The tone of the music is eerie and menacing.
We see three blurry figures walking up towards the part of the field where Josh's ashes were scattered.
There is a cut to a close-up of a blurry picture frame being held in someone's hand.
An extreme close-up forces the audience to focus on the picture frame where they see Josh's picture for the first time, identifying the victim.
A focus pull blurs the photo and there is a cut to a close-up of the picture frame being put down onto the ground.
An extreme close up of a match being lit fills the screen.
As soon as the match is lit, the non-diegetic music comes to a sudden stop.
A mid-shot shows the characters lighting a candle and placing it next to the picture frame.
The next shots are extreme close-ups of each of the three figure's faces. This enables the audience to see their emotions, therefore the relationship's between the figures and the victim (for example someone's teary eyes, someone's sniffly nose and someone else's quivering mouth)
Now it is silent.
The characters hear Josh's voice and look at each other, then look around and discover an iPhone on the floor about 3 metres away from where they are standing. This sequence of events is shown through a series of quick cuts to emphasise the unsettling nature of what is happening. Non-diegetic music is heard again in order to heighten the atmosphere.
There is a cut to an over the shoulder shot of one of the figures looking down at the iPhone.
As a group, they all go to the phone and one person picks it up.
There is a close up of that person's hand slowly picking up the phone.
An extreme close-up of the phone allows the audience to see that a video of Josh at a party is playing.
There is a cut to a long shot of the friends crowding around the phone but, from behind them, there is a rustle of the bushes and they suddenly turn around.
Opening titles appear at regular intervals throughout the opening and act as a kind of punctuation between events that are shown. The titles are white on a black background and are not overlaid over the top of the film.
Planning : Target Audience Feedback
Planning - Writing A Treatment For Your Chosen Opening
Planning - Writing A Screenplay For Your Opening
Planning - Producing A Storyboard For Your Opening
Planning - Location Planning For Your Opening
Planning - Casting For Your Opening (if characters are required)
Planning - Considering Mise-en-Scene For Your Opening - costume and props
Planning - Producing A Shot List
Planning - Filming Schedule
You should all now be busily collating audience feedback and this will allow you to then decide upon the idea for your film's opening.
Once you have done this you need to create a post titled Planning : Target Audience Feedback in which you, as in previous posts, explain the process you followed to generate audience feedback and provide evidence of this.
When deciding upon the idea that you are going to move forwards with, remember that you must always keep in mind that you are only producing the opening 2 minutes including titles - don't try to cram in too much and consider how you can avoid ending up with a film opening that looks more like a trailer!
Once, as a group, you have confirmed the idea you want to move forwards with, the next step is to begin planning it in detail.
This will require you to write a TREATMENT for it.
What is a TREATMENT?
You have already produced a synopsis of your film idea (your 60 second pitch) and shared this with your target audience. A treatment is a more detailed account of what you envisage your film's opening to look like once it has been completed.
The treatment has to be done before you can move on to the production of a storyboard and a screenplay for your opening.
Try to think of it this way; if the storyboard is the blue screen for your screenplay, then the treatment is the blueprint for your storyboard.
Your treatment for the opening of your film must be produced electronically and should fit onto 1 side of A4.
You need to have a single treatment for your group but this will need to be worked on collaboratively. The top of the sheet should be titled as follows:
Treatment for the Opening 2 Minutes (including titles) of 'FILM TITLE' by PRODUCTION COMPANY.
The treatment should then explain how you, as directors, envisage your film opening will look.
You need to talk through what you think the audience will see and hear during this opening 2 minutes.
Make sure that your treatment includes references to how titles will be used as well as non-diegetic sound.
Here is an example of a treatment produced by previous students:
Treatment for the opening 2 minutes (including titles) of 'iWatch' by Dench Productions
The film starts with an establishing shot of an empty field.
DENCH Productions appears on the screen.
This then fades out into a black screen and the diegetic sound of the wind is heard.
The black screen then fades to an empty field where the non-diegetic music gradually gets louder. The tone of the music is eerie and menacing.
We see three blurry figures walking up towards the part of the field where Josh's ashes were scattered.
There is a cut to a close-up of a blurry picture frame being held in someone's hand.
An extreme close-up forces the audience to focus on the picture frame where they see Josh's picture for the first time, identifying the victim.
A focus pull blurs the photo and there is a cut to a close-up of the picture frame being put down onto the ground.
An extreme close up of a match being lit fills the screen.
As soon as the match is lit, the non-diegetic music comes to a sudden stop.
A mid-shot shows the characters lighting a candle and placing it next to the picture frame.
The next shots are extreme close-ups of each of the three figure's faces. This enables the audience to see their emotions, therefore the relationship's between the figures and the victim (for example someone's teary eyes, someone's sniffly nose and someone else's quivering mouth)
Now it is silent.
The characters hear Josh's voice and look at each other, then look around and discover an iPhone on the floor about 3 metres away from where they are standing. This sequence of events is shown through a series of quick cuts to emphasise the unsettling nature of what is happening. Non-diegetic music is heard again in order to heighten the atmosphere.
There is a cut to an over the shoulder shot of one of the figures looking down at the iPhone.
As a group, they all go to the phone and one person picks it up.
There is a close up of that person's hand slowly picking up the phone.
An extreme close-up of the phone allows the audience to see that a video of Josh at a party is playing.
There is a cut to a long shot of the friends crowding around the phone but, from behind them, there is a rustle of the bushes and they suddenly turn around.
Opening titles appear at regular intervals throughout the opening and act as a kind of punctuation between events that are shown. The titles are white on a black background and are not overlaid over the top of the film.
Planning : Target Audience Feedback
You now have an idea for a horror film aimed at a teen audience.
Your next task is to discuss this idea with members of your target audience in order to get their opinions about how your film could begin.
You need to undertake some research in which you share your 60 Second Pitch and collate responses relating to what members of the target audience may expect to see at the very start of the film.
This research could be done via questionnaires, interviews or group discussion BUT you have to form an evidence base.
This is important as it will need to be presented on your blog.
Here are some ideas relating to how to do this:
Your next task is to discuss this idea with members of your target audience in order to get their opinions about how your film could begin.
You need to undertake some research in which you share your 60 Second Pitch and collate responses relating to what members of the target audience may expect to see at the very start of the film.
This research could be done via questionnaires, interviews or group discussion BUT you have to form an evidence base.
This is important as it will need to be presented on your blog.
Here are some ideas relating to how to do this:
- Put together a group of young people who are representative of your target audience and film a discussion centred around the task above. This can then be edited and uploaded to Youtube to be embedded in your blog at a later point.
- Devise a questionnaire which provides a copy of your 60 Second Pitch in text format followed by questions relating to potential openings. Take photos of completed questionnaires and a provide a summary of your feedback. If you want to, you can sign up for the free version of www.surveymonkey.com which allows you to create online surveys. You could then send links to the survey via your social media contacts.
- Interview individual members of your target audience - ask the to provide their personal opinions about how they think the film would begin and why.
- Use a combination of all 3 things above.
Work together as a group today to formulate the way in which you will move forwards with collating evidence of audience feedback.
Planning : From Initial Ideas To A 60 Second Pitch
You have now moved from an initial discussion of ideas through to the presentation of a 60 Second Pitch for your film.
Your task this afternoon is to produce a post titled Planning : From Initial Ideas To A 60 Second Pitch in which you explain the activities you have undertaken as part of this process.
This post should be available on your blog by Thursday's lesson and, therefore, must be completed as homework.
Your post should include a combination of text, images and video with the final piece of evidence being the video of all groups' 60 Second Pitches which can be found below.
Please make sure that you provide enough detail in your post to at least meet the key words of GOOD and PROFICIENT.
You should include photographs you have taken of notes made at various stages together with the photograph of your group working which features in a previous post on this blog.
Your task this afternoon is to produce a post titled Planning : From Initial Ideas To A 60 Second Pitch in which you explain the activities you have undertaken as part of this process.
This post should be available on your blog by Thursday's lesson and, therefore, must be completed as homework.
Your post should include a combination of text, images and video with the final piece of evidence being the video of all groups' 60 Second Pitches which can be found below.
Please make sure that you provide enough detail in your post to at least meet the key words of GOOD and PROFICIENT.
You should include photographs you have taken of notes made at various stages together with the photograph of your group working which features in a previous post on this blog.
Planning : Initial Ideas and 60 Second Pitch
The starting point will be to discuss ideas for a teen horror film with the other members of your group, agree upon one of these ideas and then 'pitch' the idea to me.
You MUST remember that you are thinking of an idea for a complete film and not just attempting to think of an idea for a film opening.
Stage 1 : Brainstorming Ideas
Get together in your group and brainstorm ideas for a teen horror film. You need to make a record of these ideas as they will be needed as evidence on your blog. I will ask you to start with a large sheet of paper and put down ideas on this. you could. alternatively, do this electronically if you wish.
Stage 2 : Decision Making
Once you have exhausted yourself of possible ideas, you need to decide upon the one that you want to move ahead with. Make sure that you give this really careful consideration as you won't be able to change your mind.
You will then need to give your film idea a 'working title' AND come up with a name for your film production company - this will be important as it will be included at the very start of your film opening.
Here are some images of your discussions thanking place which you will need for your own blog.
Stage 3 : The 60 Second Pitch
You are now in the position of being able to 'pitch' your idea to me.
You will have 60 seconds in which to tell me about your idea for a horror film aimed at a teen audience.
Remember that you are pitching the idea for the complete film - there will be no mention of the opening!
I will make the decision as to whether or not your idea is one which I think is viable.
Pitches need to be ready to be delivered this Friday during period 6.
Your 'pitch' will be recorded for you to be able to use on your blog.
You MUST remember that you are thinking of an idea for a complete film and not just attempting to think of an idea for a film opening.
Stage 1 : Brainstorming Ideas
Get together in your group and brainstorm ideas for a teen horror film. You need to make a record of these ideas as they will be needed as evidence on your blog. I will ask you to start with a large sheet of paper and put down ideas on this. you could. alternatively, do this electronically if you wish.
Stage 2 : Decision Making
Once you have exhausted yourself of possible ideas, you need to decide upon the one that you want to move ahead with. Make sure that you give this really careful consideration as you won't be able to change your mind.
You will then need to give your film idea a 'working title' AND come up with a name for your film production company - this will be important as it will be included at the very start of your film opening.
Here are some images of your discussions thanking place which you will need for your own blog.
Stage 3 : The 60 Second Pitch
You are now in the position of being able to 'pitch' your idea to me.
You will have 60 seconds in which to tell me about your idea for a horror film aimed at a teen audience.
Remember that you are pitching the idea for the complete film - there will be no mention of the opening!
I will make the decision as to whether or not your idea is one which I think is viable.
Pitches need to be ready to be delivered this Friday during period 6.
Your 'pitch' will be recorded for you to be able to use on your blog.
Research : The Importance Of Sound In Horror Films
Sound is a vital element of any film and the way in which it can position an audience to feel a certain emotion is essential to the creation of atmosphere.
The use of sound in a horror film is vital to the success of this form of media product. It can, in films such as Psycho andJaws elevate the film to such an iconic level that the sound instantly identifies the film.
The following video is also worth a look and gives some advice for film makers.
Sound will play a vital role in your film opening.
The last research task we need to do before we start planning is to investigate why sound is so important to the success of a film.
This task will be in a post titled Research : The Importance Of Sound In Horror Films
This task needs to be completed individually and should be done as a piece of independent research - that means I will give you some guidelines but how much and exactly what you do is up to you. Just remember that this research should eventually inform and influence the ideas you have for the use of sound in your own film opening.
You need to show that you have delved into this art form....
- You could start by reading about research that has been completed into why the music used in horror films scares us.
- You could include some classic clips from horror films to illustrate how the use of sound is so important. There are 7 iconic films that are totally normal without the sound which can be viewed BY CLICKING HERE
- There is also a website called www.filmsound.org which, rather unsurprisingly, dedicates itself to the use of sound in films. There is an interesting discussion here of the use of sound in horror and science fiction films which, once you have sifted through the plethora of information about Star Trek contains some useful snippets about sounds in horror films such as 'Psycho'.
There is lots more out there that you can use for this part of your research. Whether or not you find it, is pretty much down to how committed you are.
What your post looks like is up to you.
Research : The Importance Of Opening Titles
The video titled 'The Film Before The Film can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
Task
Art of the Title is a website that is dedicated, not unsurprisingly, to the art of opening title sequences in both film and television. It is a fantastic resource for the task I am about to set but also for any other independent research into opening title sequences that you may wish to do.
Step 1
Here is the opening to the psychological horror film 'Se7en'
This film was released in 1995 and has an interesting title sequence which draws on a series of images and non-diegetic sound rather than using a narrative. The synopsis of the film is as follows:
Step 2
Watch the opening to familiarise yourself with it.
Step 3
Take a sheet of A4 paper and make a note of what titles appear (wording) and when (time).
Step 4
Add a title to your sheet of A4 paper of TYPOGRAPHY.
Make some notes about the font style, size, colour and positioning on the screen.
What observations can you make?
Step 5
Take another sheet of A4 paper and write the VISUAL ELEMENTS at the top.
Watch the opening again but this time without the sound. make notes about what you see (the visuals) throughout the opening. Describe what your eyes see - this includes locations, characters and any other images.What type of atmosphere is created and how?Step
Step 6
On the reverse of the above sheet write the title ELEMENTS OF SOUND.
Play the opening again but this time close your eyes and listen to the sounds - the audio. describe what you can hear as precisely as possible. Is there music? If so, what type of music? Think about the tempo, the instruments, the feelings and emotions it evokes. What about other sounds? How can you describe these?
The two key terms when thinking about the use of sound are diegetic and non-diegetic.
Diegetic sound comes from within the world of the film itself - this could include dialogue between characters, the music playing in a shapping centre, a baby crying, traffic noise, etc.
Non-diegetic sound is added to the film during the post-production phase. this could be a musical score, sound effects, a voice-over, etc.
The video titled A Brief History of Title Design can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
Task
Art of the Title is a website that is dedicated, not unsurprisingly, to the art of opening title sequences in both film and television. It is a fantastic resource for the task I am about to set but also for any other independent research into opening title sequences that you may wish to do.
Step 1
Here is the opening to the psychological horror film 'Se7en'
This film was released in 1995 and has an interesting title sequence which draws on a series of images and non-diegetic sound rather than using a narrative. The synopsis of the film is as follows:
Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his modus operandi.
Step 2
Watch the opening to familiarise yourself with it.
Step 3
Take a sheet of A4 paper and make a note of what titles appear (wording) and when (time).
Step 4
Add a title to your sheet of A4 paper of TYPOGRAPHY.
Make some notes about the font style, size, colour and positioning on the screen.
What observations can you make?
Step 5
Take another sheet of A4 paper and write the VISUAL ELEMENTS at the top.
Watch the opening again but this time without the sound. make notes about what you see (the visuals) throughout the opening. Describe what your eyes see - this includes locations, characters and any other images.What type of atmosphere is created and how?Step
Step 6
On the reverse of the above sheet write the title ELEMENTS OF SOUND.
Play the opening again but this time close your eyes and listen to the sounds - the audio. describe what you can hear as precisely as possible. Is there music? If so, what type of music? Think about the tempo, the instruments, the feelings and emotions it evokes. What about other sounds? How can you describe these?
The two key terms when thinking about the use of sound are diegetic and non-diegetic.
Diegetic sound comes from within the world of the film itself - this could include dialogue between characters, the music playing in a shapping centre, a baby crying, traffic noise, etc.
Non-diegetic sound is added to the film during the post-production phase. this could be a musical score, sound effects, a voice-over, etc.
Step 7
Take photographs of all of your notes.
Create a post on your blog titled Research : The Importance Of Opening Titles
Post images of your notes together with an explanation of the process that you followed.
Embed the opening titles of 'Se7en' into this post as well as a link to The Art Of The Title
What have you learnt from this process that you may be able to apply to the planning of the opening titles for your own film opening?
Research Essay : Mark Scheme and Exemplar Responses
Your essay will be assessed relating to each of the following 3 areas:
1. Explanation / Analysis and Argument (out of 20)
2. Use of Examples (out of 20)
3. Use of terminology (out of 10)
I will do this by referring to the mark scheme below.
It is possible to award marks from different levels to your essay. The overall mark is then determined by adding the 3 separate marks together to give a final mark out of 50.
It is possible to award marks from different levels to your essay. The overall mark is then determined by adding the 3 separate marks together to give a final mark out of 50.
General Mark Scheme
Level 1
Explanation/analysis/argument (0-7 marks)
Shows minimal understanding of the task
Minimal understanding of the way that codes and conventions are used.
Of minimal relevance to set question or a brief response (less than 750 words).
Use of examples (0-7 marks)
Offers minimal textual evidence from the extracts
Offers examples of minimal relevance to the set question.
Use of terminology (0-3 marks)
Minimal or frequently inaccurate use of appropriate terminology.
Some simple ideas have been expressed. There will be some errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar, which will be noticeable and intrusive.
Level 2
Explanation/analysis/argument (8-11 marks)
Shows basic understanding of the task
Basic understanding of the way that codes and conventions are used.
Some relevance to set question.
Use of examples (8-11 marks)
Offers some textual evidence from the extracts
Offers examples with some relevance to the set question.
Use of terminology (4-5 marks)
Some terminology used, although there may be some inaccuracies.
Some simple ideas have been expressed in an appropriate context. There are likely to be some errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar of which some may be noticeable and intrusive.
Level 3
Explanation/analysis/argument (12-15 marks)
Shows proficient understanding of the task
Proficient understanding of the way that codes and conventions are used.
Mostly relevant to set question.
Use of examples (12-15 marks)
Offers consistent textual evidence from the extracts
Offers examples which are mostly relevant to the set question.
Use of terminology (6-7 marks)
Use of terminology is mostly accurate.
Straightforward ideas have been expressed with some clarity and fluency. Arguments are generally relevant, though may stray from the point of the question. There will be some errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar, but these are unlikely to be intrusive or obscure meaning.
Level 4
Explanation/analysis/argument (16-20 marks)
Shows excellent understanding of the task.
Excellent knowledge and understanding of the way that codes and conventions are used.
Clearly relevant to set question.
Shows excellent understanding of the task.
Excellent knowledge and understanding of the way that codes and conventions are used.
Clearly relevant to set question.
Use of examples (16-20 marks)
Offers frequent textual analysis from the extract.
Offers examples which are clearly relevant to the set question.
Use of terminology (8-10 marks)
Use of terminology is relevant and accurate.
Complex issues have been expressed clearly and fluently. Sentences and paragraphs, consistently relevant, have been well structured, using appropriate technical terminology. There may be few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Exemplar Essays
There are 2 essays completed in relation to this task below.
One of these is stronger than the other. Neither of them are perfect.
You can read these to assist you in completing your own essay but, of course, must not copy them!
Exemplar 1
Codes are something that can be decipher during the film and are broken up into different categories such as technical codes meaning all of the camera work and shots used in the film for effect. And a symbolic code that is used for mise on scene, which is props, makeup and costumes that is used so that it makes the film more realistic and graphic.
A convention is something that the public generally expects from a horror movie for example;
Tripping over while running away from the villain.
Ways of communication are cut because of lack of signal or a power cut.
Females being the more vulnerable sex.
No way of transport
Gets close too safety and then gets caught.
The films I will be analyzing are as follows;
Wrong turn
Chris Flynn is driving his car for a job interview in another city. However, an accident with a trunk transporting chemical products blocks the highway and Chris looks for an alternative route through the mountains of West Virginia to accomplish his schedule. Due to a lack of attention, he crashes another car parked in the middle of the road with flat tires. Chris meets a group of five friends, who intended to camp in the forest, and they decide to leave the couple Francine and Evan on the place, while Chris, Jessie, Carly and her fiancé Scott tries to find some help. They find a weird cabin in the middle of nowhere, where three violent cannibalistic mountain men with the appearance of monsters live. The two couples try to escape from the mountain men while chased by them
Dead Mary
Kim and her boyfriend Matt have just broken up, but they travel together to a cottage nearby a lake to spend the weekend with their friends Eve, Dash and his wife Amber and Baker and his new girlfriend Lily. The atmosphere becomes heavy with the situation between Kim and Matt, and one of them suggests them to play "Dead Mary". Matt, Eve and Dash summon the evil witch repeating her name three times in front of a mirror with a candle. Along the night, Matt hears weird noises, is killed and returns to life, while part of the group is possessed by the fiend. Without knowing who is possessed, the rest of the group fights to survive.
Dead wood
Four friends escape the grime of the city and head out into the woods for a peaceful, relaxing weekend. Events take a sinister turn when a mysterious girl appears in their camp looking for her boyfriend. Soon the nightmare begins as they find themselves lost in an endless wilderness stalked by a deadly force. As those left fight for survival they will discover the true nature of fear.
The titles used in the films are very well put together as in these films the use of the title animations and transitions are used to foreshadow the outcome of the current film like for example in dead wood it is in white and fades into red projecting a foreshadow of blood to the audience in the film to come.
In the start of the there is a tracking shot this relates to all of the other films as they also start off with a tracking shot, also there is a large establishing shot at the start showing how secluded and far away from society this is also a convention used in films to show how isolated they are from the rest of the world. Also they speed of the frames increase tremendously throughout these three openings as the danger becomes more obvious and close. The speed of the cuts could be related to the persons thought and how fast they are at the moment of time so the director has put this in so that it shows more so what the person is seeing and feeling.
In wrong turn we hear no non-diegetic sound until the female slips of the wall as a part of a jump scare, this is the same in dead Mary you hear no non-diegetic sound until the jump scare of the man turning up at the back of the car with the petrol tanks. however in dead wood there is a constant fill of diegetic sound in the background as it starts with a run in the Woods with a fast paced piano melody in the background of the chase, this makes it different from the other openings.
With all 3 of these films all of the characters are within there early-mid twenties and which can be presented in a number of different ways for example it could be showing that no matter what physical condition u will not escape, and the youthful getting into more danger than people of other ages or even innocents to the young and the become easy victims. Also all of the women seem to be weaker than the males and show a lot of flesh to show that they are very exposed to a threat and would not have much to protect them.
They also use the camera to show how isolated they are by using establishing shots to show the vast forest that they are in, this is shown in all 3 of the movies letting us know that no matter how far away they are from calling for help when the need it. This is shown exceptionally by the male figure shouting "What are you screaming for" when the women falls and scares herself.
in conclusion i think that wrong turn uses the most conventions in the creation of the opening as it shows the weaker female the trip when so close to safety and her only hope of protection (the male) has already died making her more vulnerable to the threat. Also it shows vigorously how far away they are from civilization, also there way of letting the audience know they are alone and venerable by there dialogue and that they are hanging off the side of a cliff.
1002 Words
1002 Words
Exemplar 2
When watching a horror film, you may not realise it but you are witnessing many classic and cliché codes and conventions, related specifically to the teen horror genre. The two types of codes are:
Technical
Technical codes in a horror film include things such as camera shots, angles and movements, lighting, titles, editing and sound: both diagetic and non diagetic. Overall, technical codes cover the 'technical aspects' of filmmaking and creating a piece of moving image media.
Symbolic
Symbolic codes include the main elements of mise-en-scene (the French translation for 'put in scene') within a film. The different aspects of mise-en-scene include; costume, make up, setting and props. For example, if the leading lady in the film is wearing a short red dress or a revealing outfit with heavy make-up, the audience makes an assumption about her character and traits. We do this because of the symbolic value attached to the clothing and the make-up.
Conventions also play an important part of what attracts and audience to view a horror film:
Conventions:
Conventions are a set of unwritten rules that an audience expect to see from a specific and certain genre. For example, a convention in a horror film we would expect to see is the victim almost making it to safety before the villain catches up with them. In addition, another convention frequently used in the teen horror genre is a mobile phone running out of battery or losing signal at a poignant moment.
The plot for the films 'Dead Wood', 'Dead Mary' and 'Wrong Turn' all differ in some way, but they all have things in common; they all make use of typical codes and conventions.
Dead Wood- Synopsis
Four friends leave the city for a relaxing camping weekend in the woods. Once they get settled, a strange young woman enters their campsite looking for her lost boyfriend. One of the four himself goes missing and the rest are pitted against mysterious forces in a fight for their very survival.
Dead Mary- Synopsis
Kim and her boyfriend Matt have just broken up, but they travel together to a cottage nearby a lake to spend the weekend with their friends Eve, Dash and his wife Amber and Baker and his new girlfriend Lily. The atmosphere becomes heavy with the situation between Kim and Matt, and one of them suggests them to play "Dead Mary". Matt, Eve and Dash summon the evil witch repeating her name three times in front of a mirror with a candle. Along the night, Matt hears weird noises, is killed and returns to life, while part of the group is possessed by the fiend. Without knowing who is possessed, the rest of the group fights to survive.
Wrong Turn
The film opens with two friends rock climbing, when all of a sudden they are both killed by a vicious and mysterious unknown force. Six friends then find themselves trapped in the woods of West Virginia, hunted down by "cannibalistic mountain men grossly disfigured through generations of in-breeding."
Editing and the pace of editing is used to great effect in the three horror openings. The opening to 'Wrong Turn' is a great example of how editing is used to have an effect on the audience. During the dialogue exchange between the man and woman when they are rock climbing, the editing is very slow and the cuts between shots are very limited, mainly varying between the man's face and the woman's. However, when the man's body is thrown off of the cliff, the editing begins to pick up pace.The shots vary and change quickly from the reel, the rope, the female and her struggle to resist against the force pulling her up the rocks. The camera angles differ; for example when she has freed herself by cutting the rope and she is attempting to reach the other one, the camera uses a low angle shot. In the next shot, there is a close up of her face- this makes the scene more intimate as the audience can see the terrified expression and emotion on her face. 'Dead Wood' also uses similar editing techniques. When the male victim comes crashing through the water and is running away from whatever is chasing him, the editing is very fast paced and sudden to reflect the mood and intensity of the action. However, as there is little happening in terms of action in 'Dead Mary', the approach to editing is different. The shots follow the actions the female lead is carrying out, for example: picking up her phone to check it has reception, throwing her phone back in the car, her adjusting the radio etc. However, the camera always returns to a close up of her face. They have edited it this way in order to keep the actress the focus at all times as she is the main/principal character. Editing is a very important way of telling the audience how they should be feeling at a certain time or moment. If the editing is fast paced, it increases the audience's adrenaline and feeds their anxiety and heightens the drama and suspense. If the editing is slower, it relaxes the audience and sets them at ease.
Camera movement is used effectively in all three horror openings. The opening of 'Dead Wood' commences with a crane shot, that brings the audience down through the moderately safe canopy of the forest and into the unknown and unsafe territory of the ground level where danger lies. During the shot, we are transported through a holly bush which has connotations of agony and sharp discomfort and the camera then eventually settles on a fixed shot of a murky and pungent puddle. There is also an element of symmetry during the opening; when the male victim has been murdered, his female companion emerges from a tent and begins calling his name. We are then transported back into the canopy of the woods with another crane shot. This could signify that the chase is over and the terror and suspense will subside momentarily. The opening to 'Wrong Turn' is very similar. It begins with a crane shot of the forest as it shows the audience tops of the trees. The camera then bring the audience down to where the couple are rock climbing and provides us with a birds eye view of them. Alternately, this can be seen as almost an establishing shot, as it establishes that most of the action and horror will take place within the confines of the woods.
Each horror film opening makes use of conventions. One convention that the opening of 'Wrong Turn' uses is the victim almost making it to safety; when the girl who was rock climbing realises her friend has been killed, she cuts herself away from her harness and falls to the ground. She then proceeds to run back to the safety of her car, when all of a sudden she is tripped by a piece of barbed wire. Before she is pulled away by an unknown force, we see a final shot of the car, signifying that she was so close to escaping her doomed fate. This same convention is also challenged in the opening to 'Dead Wood'. A male is running through the woods, clearly being chased by an unidentified assailant. There is the predictable cliché of the victim falling over, which would therefore put less distance between him and the villain. However, he recovers and continues to run through the forest, when he encounters an obstacle; a steep river bank which he must jump across in order to escape the assailant and return back to his tent. He judges the situation first before making the jump, once again giving the mystery villain more time to reach him. He takes a run up and jumps, but unfortunately does not quite make the jump. He is left clinging onto the other side of the bank, trying desperately to pull himself up. Blood then pours out of his mouth and he is dragged into the bank, presumably by the thing he was running from. The convention of almost making it to safety is often challenged in horror films, because it creates tension and suspense for the audience. It also increases the adrenaline the audience feels as they are willing the victims to make it to safety. The film 'Dead Mary' does not challenge this convention.
However, all three openings use the same convention of having a female victim who is reliant on a male counterpart. In 'Dead Mary', it depicts a female waiting alone in a car. She is in a vulnerable position as there seems to be no sign of any help if she needs it; this is reinforced by the convention of her phone having no signal. She picks up her mobile and tries to find signal by adjusting her phone and holding it in the air. It is clear that signal cannot be found when she carelessly throws it back on the car's dashboard and lets out an exasperated sigh. This limits a source of contact and communication and shows her solidarity. Her male companion then returns to the car with a can of petrol; this shows that she is reliant on him as he was the one to fetch the petrol and ultimately save the day. In 'Dead Wood', the female is also reliant on the male. After her partner is dragged into the river bank, she emerges from the tent and begins to helplessly call his name. This makes her seem vulnerable and timid, and she could not cope without him as she is weak and defenceless. The opening to 'Wrong Turn' is very similar. When the female and her male friend are rock climbing, he reaches the top easily without seemingly breaking a sweat, whilst she has difficulty scaling the rocks. When he reaches the top, she asks him to pull her up, making her seem weak and insignificant as she does neither have the energy or the patience to continue to climb the rocks. On the other hand, he gives off the persona of seeming cocky and confident. When he is murdered and thrown off the rocks, she is inconsolable and hysterical. This convention is often challenged in horror movies. Females are often seen as subordinate, weaker and more vulnerable than men, so therefore by having a female victim, it makes the audience root for them more as opposed to if it was a male victim.
On a related note, all three females are dressed in a way that could be considered inappropriate. These are symbolic codes. For example, in 'Dead Wood' the female victim is wearing all black (the colour black has connotations of death and mystery). However, she is wearing a knee length skirt with a slit in the front and back and also a pair of heeled boots. These items of clothing are not widely considered appropriate for camping. Their tent is also positioned right near the edge of the river bank, and it is also very small and flimsy. In addition, it would be extremely difficult to run away from a blood-thirsty creature in that gear. Her male companion was also wearing a tropical Hawaiian shirt; this demonstrates that neither of them are seasoned or experienced campers, which will ultimately make the process even more thrilling and unsuspecting. The female in 'Dead Mary' is dressed all in blue and is wearing a blue vest top which exposes her flesh. She is also not wearing any footwear. This symbolises that she is not expecting any trouble and is completely unprepared for an attack (if there was one). The female in 'Wrong Turn' is also quite exposed and vulnerable to an attack with her clothing choices. She is wearing a sports bra with pair of latex shorts. Whilst these clothes may be suitable for adventurous activities she was partaking in such as hiking and rock climbing, they do not offer much physical protection and she is very exposed. This symbolises how exposed she is to her surrounding and the danger she will ultimately face.
Another example of a symbolic code and mise-en-scene is make up. When the male victim is running through the woods in 'Dead Wood', there are visible signs of blood on his face. This indicates that he has already encountered danger and violence previously. 'Wrong Turn' also uses mise-en-scene through the medium of make up. The only way she realises her male friend is injured is when his blood drips down on her face. This gives the impression to the audience that something extremely dangerous surrounds the area and gives a heightened sense of threat. There is no blood or even a remote resemblance to blood in 'Dead Mary'.
Overall, I think 'Wrong Turn' challenges the most technical and symbolic codes and conventions. During the opening credits, we hear only non-diegetic sound in the form of the score. The score is predictably eerie which is highlighted by the use of strings and sudden beat of ominous drums. The credits that play over the opening sequence when the camera flies across the wooded area are quite scratchy and appear quickly and unexpectedly. They are all in capitals and are white- white connotes purity and innocence. This juxtaposes with the eerily sinister font. These are all technical codes. 'Wrong Turn' challenges the symbolic codes and mise-en-scene through make up and costumes and it also challenges many conventions such as the helpless female victim, the victim almost making it to safety and in addition, the fact that the action takes place in a forest. Forests are quiet and secluded areas where generally (especially in the horror genre) there aren't many means of communication around. In conclusion, 'Wrong Turn' uses the most technical and symbolic codes and conventions to create the most effective and terrifying opening few minutes; it gives the audience an indication of what to expect for the rest of the film.
2139 Words
Technical
Technical codes in a horror film include things such as camera shots, angles and movements, lighting, titles, editing and sound: both diagetic and non diagetic. Overall, technical codes cover the 'technical aspects' of filmmaking and creating a piece of moving image media.
Symbolic
Symbolic codes include the main elements of mise-en-scene (the French translation for 'put in scene') within a film. The different aspects of mise-en-scene include; costume, make up, setting and props. For example, if the leading lady in the film is wearing a short red dress or a revealing outfit with heavy make-up, the audience makes an assumption about her character and traits. We do this because of the symbolic value attached to the clothing and the make-up.
Conventions also play an important part of what attracts and audience to view a horror film:
Conventions:
Conventions are a set of unwritten rules that an audience expect to see from a specific and certain genre. For example, a convention in a horror film we would expect to see is the victim almost making it to safety before the villain catches up with them. In addition, another convention frequently used in the teen horror genre is a mobile phone running out of battery or losing signal at a poignant moment.
The plot for the films 'Dead Wood', 'Dead Mary' and 'Wrong Turn' all differ in some way, but they all have things in common; they all make use of typical codes and conventions.
Dead Wood- Synopsis
Four friends leave the city for a relaxing camping weekend in the woods. Once they get settled, a strange young woman enters their campsite looking for her lost boyfriend. One of the four himself goes missing and the rest are pitted against mysterious forces in a fight for their very survival.
Dead Mary- Synopsis
Kim and her boyfriend Matt have just broken up, but they travel together to a cottage nearby a lake to spend the weekend with their friends Eve, Dash and his wife Amber and Baker and his new girlfriend Lily. The atmosphere becomes heavy with the situation between Kim and Matt, and one of them suggests them to play "Dead Mary". Matt, Eve and Dash summon the evil witch repeating her name three times in front of a mirror with a candle. Along the night, Matt hears weird noises, is killed and returns to life, while part of the group is possessed by the fiend. Without knowing who is possessed, the rest of the group fights to survive.
Wrong Turn
The film opens with two friends rock climbing, when all of a sudden they are both killed by a vicious and mysterious unknown force. Six friends then find themselves trapped in the woods of West Virginia, hunted down by "cannibalistic mountain men grossly disfigured through generations of in-breeding."
Editing and the pace of editing is used to great effect in the three horror openings. The opening to 'Wrong Turn' is a great example of how editing is used to have an effect on the audience. During the dialogue exchange between the man and woman when they are rock climbing, the editing is very slow and the cuts between shots are very limited, mainly varying between the man's face and the woman's. However, when the man's body is thrown off of the cliff, the editing begins to pick up pace.The shots vary and change quickly from the reel, the rope, the female and her struggle to resist against the force pulling her up the rocks. The camera angles differ; for example when she has freed herself by cutting the rope and she is attempting to reach the other one, the camera uses a low angle shot. In the next shot, there is a close up of her face- this makes the scene more intimate as the audience can see the terrified expression and emotion on her face. 'Dead Wood' also uses similar editing techniques. When the male victim comes crashing through the water and is running away from whatever is chasing him, the editing is very fast paced and sudden to reflect the mood and intensity of the action. However, as there is little happening in terms of action in 'Dead Mary', the approach to editing is different. The shots follow the actions the female lead is carrying out, for example: picking up her phone to check it has reception, throwing her phone back in the car, her adjusting the radio etc. However, the camera always returns to a close up of her face. They have edited it this way in order to keep the actress the focus at all times as she is the main/principal character. Editing is a very important way of telling the audience how they should be feeling at a certain time or moment. If the editing is fast paced, it increases the audience's adrenaline and feeds their anxiety and heightens the drama and suspense. If the editing is slower, it relaxes the audience and sets them at ease.
Camera movement is used effectively in all three horror openings. The opening of 'Dead Wood' commences with a crane shot, that brings the audience down through the moderately safe canopy of the forest and into the unknown and unsafe territory of the ground level where danger lies. During the shot, we are transported through a holly bush which has connotations of agony and sharp discomfort and the camera then eventually settles on a fixed shot of a murky and pungent puddle. There is also an element of symmetry during the opening; when the male victim has been murdered, his female companion emerges from a tent and begins calling his name. We are then transported back into the canopy of the woods with another crane shot. This could signify that the chase is over and the terror and suspense will subside momentarily. The opening to 'Wrong Turn' is very similar. It begins with a crane shot of the forest as it shows the audience tops of the trees. The camera then bring the audience down to where the couple are rock climbing and provides us with a birds eye view of them. Alternately, this can be seen as almost an establishing shot, as it establishes that most of the action and horror will take place within the confines of the woods.
Each horror film opening makes use of conventions. One convention that the opening of 'Wrong Turn' uses is the victim almost making it to safety; when the girl who was rock climbing realises her friend has been killed, she cuts herself away from her harness and falls to the ground. She then proceeds to run back to the safety of her car, when all of a sudden she is tripped by a piece of barbed wire. Before she is pulled away by an unknown force, we see a final shot of the car, signifying that she was so close to escaping her doomed fate. This same convention is also challenged in the opening to 'Dead Wood'. A male is running through the woods, clearly being chased by an unidentified assailant. There is the predictable cliché of the victim falling over, which would therefore put less distance between him and the villain. However, he recovers and continues to run through the forest, when he encounters an obstacle; a steep river bank which he must jump across in order to escape the assailant and return back to his tent. He judges the situation first before making the jump, once again giving the mystery villain more time to reach him. He takes a run up and jumps, but unfortunately does not quite make the jump. He is left clinging onto the other side of the bank, trying desperately to pull himself up. Blood then pours out of his mouth and he is dragged into the bank, presumably by the thing he was running from. The convention of almost making it to safety is often challenged in horror films, because it creates tension and suspense for the audience. It also increases the adrenaline the audience feels as they are willing the victims to make it to safety. The film 'Dead Mary' does not challenge this convention.
However, all three openings use the same convention of having a female victim who is reliant on a male counterpart. In 'Dead Mary', it depicts a female waiting alone in a car. She is in a vulnerable position as there seems to be no sign of any help if she needs it; this is reinforced by the convention of her phone having no signal. She picks up her mobile and tries to find signal by adjusting her phone and holding it in the air. It is clear that signal cannot be found when she carelessly throws it back on the car's dashboard and lets out an exasperated sigh. This limits a source of contact and communication and shows her solidarity. Her male companion then returns to the car with a can of petrol; this shows that she is reliant on him as he was the one to fetch the petrol and ultimately save the day. In 'Dead Wood', the female is also reliant on the male. After her partner is dragged into the river bank, she emerges from the tent and begins to helplessly call his name. This makes her seem vulnerable and timid, and she could not cope without him as she is weak and defenceless. The opening to 'Wrong Turn' is very similar. When the female and her male friend are rock climbing, he reaches the top easily without seemingly breaking a sweat, whilst she has difficulty scaling the rocks. When he reaches the top, she asks him to pull her up, making her seem weak and insignificant as she does neither have the energy or the patience to continue to climb the rocks. On the other hand, he gives off the persona of seeming cocky and confident. When he is murdered and thrown off the rocks, she is inconsolable and hysterical. This convention is often challenged in horror movies. Females are often seen as subordinate, weaker and more vulnerable than men, so therefore by having a female victim, it makes the audience root for them more as opposed to if it was a male victim.
On a related note, all three females are dressed in a way that could be considered inappropriate. These are symbolic codes. For example, in 'Dead Wood' the female victim is wearing all black (the colour black has connotations of death and mystery). However, she is wearing a knee length skirt with a slit in the front and back and also a pair of heeled boots. These items of clothing are not widely considered appropriate for camping. Their tent is also positioned right near the edge of the river bank, and it is also very small and flimsy. In addition, it would be extremely difficult to run away from a blood-thirsty creature in that gear. Her male companion was also wearing a tropical Hawaiian shirt; this demonstrates that neither of them are seasoned or experienced campers, which will ultimately make the process even more thrilling and unsuspecting. The female in 'Dead Mary' is dressed all in blue and is wearing a blue vest top which exposes her flesh. She is also not wearing any footwear. This symbolises that she is not expecting any trouble and is completely unprepared for an attack (if there was one). The female in 'Wrong Turn' is also quite exposed and vulnerable to an attack with her clothing choices. She is wearing a sports bra with pair of latex shorts. Whilst these clothes may be suitable for adventurous activities she was partaking in such as hiking and rock climbing, they do not offer much physical protection and she is very exposed. This symbolises how exposed she is to her surrounding and the danger she will ultimately face.
Another example of a symbolic code and mise-en-scene is make up. When the male victim is running through the woods in 'Dead Wood', there are visible signs of blood on his face. This indicates that he has already encountered danger and violence previously. 'Wrong Turn' also uses mise-en-scene through the medium of make up. The only way she realises her male friend is injured is when his blood drips down on her face. This gives the impression to the audience that something extremely dangerous surrounds the area and gives a heightened sense of threat. There is no blood or even a remote resemblance to blood in 'Dead Mary'.
Overall, I think 'Wrong Turn' challenges the most technical and symbolic codes and conventions. During the opening credits, we hear only non-diegetic sound in the form of the score. The score is predictably eerie which is highlighted by the use of strings and sudden beat of ominous drums. The credits that play over the opening sequence when the camera flies across the wooded area are quite scratchy and appear quickly and unexpectedly. They are all in capitals and are white- white connotes purity and innocence. This juxtaposes with the eerily sinister font. These are all technical codes. 'Wrong Turn' challenges the symbolic codes and mise-en-scene through make up and costumes and it also challenges many conventions such as the helpless female victim, the victim almost making it to safety and in addition, the fact that the action takes place in a forest. Forests are quiet and secluded areas where generally (especially in the horror genre) there aren't many means of communication around. In conclusion, 'Wrong Turn' uses the most technical and symbolic codes and conventions to create the most effective and terrifying opening few minutes; it gives the audience an indication of what to expect for the rest of the film.
2139 Words
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