Character Analysis and props

Character 1:

Name: Morgan Black 

Gender: Male 

Eye colour: blue/hazel

Hair colour: Strawberry blonde 

Personality traits: Lazy, independent, caring

He sees himself and Sam as very close friends like they have been for so many years.However he is oblivious to the fact Sam has feelings for him.

Character 2:

Name: Sam wood

Gender Female 

Eye colour: Green

Hair colour: Blonde 

Personality traits: Sassy, bossy, caring 

After growing up with Morgan, Sam has developed strong feelings towards Morgan which can be seen by the way she looks at him. 

Character 3: (hooded character) 

Name: Unknown

Gender: Unknown

Age: Unknown

Eye colour: Unknown

Hair colour: Unknown 

Personality traits: Unknown 

Props

Fake blood- typical iconography of horror genre. Audience can clearly see tat there will be murder/ death- foreshadowing.
Marshmallows- connotes sweetness etc. Takes mind away from the feeling of danger.
Tent- minimal set, gives the feeling of isolation, typical in horror films.
Fire (twigs, rocks, paper etc)- connotes danger, hell etc. Foreshadows the evil that is going to happen

Costume

Hooded cape/ Black Jumper- the idea of mystery, unable to see face.
Casual clothes/coats-Sam:White tshirt (covered partly by coat for weather reasons) connotes purity.
Blonde hair- typical in horror films as stupid, gullable, usually first to die.

Storyboard



Shot 1: A long shot is taken which displays the whole scene with the characters, props and background.

Shot 2: A close up (180 degree line) is used so that we can see one side of the conversation and the audience feel closer to the character.

Shot 3: A long shot is used again so that we can see the movement of the characters when the marshmallow is thrown.

Shot 4: Another close up is used so that we see the other half of the conversation.

Shot 5: A long shot is used so we can see the full length of the characters and we can see clearly their body language.

Shot 6: Close up used to see the reaction from the character and we can see the way the character turns which displays a match on action shot.

Shot 7: Match on action moves into long shot, makes it able to see the character walk away.

Shot 8: Long shot makes it able for the audience to see the setting and gives them the sense of space.

Shot 9: The camera will rotate from the face to behind the shoulder, allows the audience to see what the character is looking at.

Shot 10, 11, 12: Shot/reverse shot gives the audience the opportunity to see from the characters point of view and then see their reaction.

Shot 13: Allows audience to see the empty campfire to give them a sense of fear.

Shot 14: The close up allows audience to see the reaction from the character from being alone.

Shot 15: The tracking shot will allow the audience to feel like they are the character so that they share the experience.

Shot 16: Match on action when the character turns around allows us to see the fear of the character.



Recce

After careful planning and a search for the right location we have finally got an area in which we can shoot our film. As shown in the images below the area we used best presents the story of Sam and Morgan in an area of forest which will use all camera angles which shall be shown later.

This is me taking a picture of my group Lily and Olivia applying the fake blood to the tree where Sam later discovers. The images below shows what the tree will look like when it comes to shooting the scene.

Following this we later took pictures of possible areas where we can use camera angles such as Tracking Shots to move with the character Sam to the area with the fake blood.

Camera Angles and Editing

Shot reverse Shot:

Shot reverse shot (or shot/counter shot) is a film technique where one character is shown looking at another character (often off-screen), and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character.

180 Degree Rule:

In film making, the 180-degree rule is a basic guideline regarding the on-screen spatial relationship between a character and another character or object within a scene.
 

Match on Action:

Match on action (or cutting on action) is an editing technique for continuity editing in which one shot cuts to another shot portraying the action of the subject in the first shot.


Tracking Shot:

A tracking shot is when a camera follows a person or an object physically moving with the subject- This can be done using tracks, handheld, ropes, Steady-cam etc.

Over Shoulder Shot:

An over the shoulder shot is a shot of someone or something taken from the perspective or camera angle from the shoulder of another person. The back of the shoulder and head of this person is used to frame the image of whatever (or whomever) the camera is pointing toward.

Horror Scirpt

Script

The two characters SAM and MORGAN are sat in a dark forest around a small fire in front of them. They are both toasting marshmallows whilst listening to music.

SAM: Do you want another marshmallow?

MORGAN: Yeah, get me one please.

SAM stands up and gets the marshmallow bag which is by the tent.

He then throws one over to MORGAN.

MORGAN: Cheers.

[Sigh] Brilliant… The fire is going out.

SAM: You better go and get some more firewood then.

MORGAN stands up.

MORGAN: Why me? I got the last batch!

SAM: Well you’re the one who wants the marshmallows.

MORGAN: Fine… I’ll be right back

MORGAN turns around and walks down the path into the darkness.

As MORGAN is walking he hears wood snapping, he gasps.

He carries on walking until he sees a tree with blood dripping from it.

MORGAN: What is that…?

Crap…

In the distance SAM: Hurry up!

MORGAN: I’m coming!

MORGAN walks back into the camping area to see SAM is not there.

MORGAN: Sam? Where are you?

Hello?

MORGAN hears a mystery rustling in the trees and goes along the path to investigate.

MORGAN: Sam, what are you doing?

As MORGAN is walking a hooded figure appears from the trees, MORGAN does not see him. Camera films MORGAN’s face which is struck with fear.

History of Horror

Horror is somewhat unique among the film genres in that there is a recognizable pattern that happens again and again which captures audiences by making them feel uncomfortable or frightened and has a lasting effect after the film. 

The subject of horror has been molded and changed since the early stages of the 1800's where monsters have been seen as the primary antagonist. However views have changed where the antagonist has become far more relate able e.g. Murder or Stalker. This has now inspired filmmakers to take a different approach to horror which has been occurring since 1980 with a film such as the Shining which has inspired films to present day such as the Saw franchise.


Over the 19th century there had been a strong growth in popularity of horror as seen with films originating from all over the world as a result of the same horror seen in WW1 and WW2. An example of this would be the black and white film Nosferatu which originated from Germany but had little influence on Hollywood but set a prescient to the film industry about an antagonist that is capable of frightening the audience. This later led on to the development and release of films like Wolf man and Frankenstein which were similar medieval characters to the of Nosferatu. 

In the 1960's a sub genre called 'Thriller' was introduced with films like Psycho which was is shown below. The word thriller relates to the way that the film creates a feeling of suspense and excitement along with anxiety.

Planning and production of Mini Brief

This is the start of our Mini Brief - We will research the Macro and Micro elements such as:

Macro Elements:

• Genre
• Audience
• Narrative
• Representation

Micro Elements:

• Camera Angles/Movements
• Editing
• Sound
• Mise en Scene

As well as the Macro and Micro elements we shall be looking at our first form of filming which will include the shot reverse shot, match on action and the line of action (180 degree rule).

The stages of production are as follows;

1. Pre Production - planning and research
2. Production - Filming
3. Post production - Editing

Which will all be made into our final clip of film.

In terms of preparation our group was divided into carrying out different tasks to complete our mini brief which meant that I began forming a script and Lily creating the Storyboard. 

Lily writing the Storyboard

Me writing the script 

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my Blog, I have taken AS media and will be using the blog to post a variety of different things that I have worker on throughout the year, ranging from camera angles to clips of films I have created with my group.

Part of the work requires me to create a scene for the Horror film genre, which means I will have to create a storyboard as well a forming a scene which has incorporated the things I will have learnt throughout the year. 

This blog will highlight the key techniques and research I have used throughout the year and shall be posted on the blog.