Change of plot

We decided to changed our plot for the first scene to make it more easier and pratical for us. Our film still retains the same central ideas though.

New Plot

1) A group of teenagers go to a old, abandoned building
2)They enter the building
3)They explore the ruined rooms and one of the characters goes upstairs by themselves
4)The characters downstairs hear a yell and venture upstairs to find out what happened
5)They look in a room to see signs of a struggle and blood
6)They hear a bang downstairs and the scene ends


In our original plot for the first scene we had the teenagers camping. However aftervisiting our desired locations we thought that using a tent wouldn't be pratical for filming. It would have been a waste not to include the abandoned buildings we explored as they were suitable for our ideas and plot.

Production Company

We decided our production company shall be called Gaia productions. Gaia is the Greek godess of the earth and is seen as the mother of all the god's. We chose to include her name because it gives a sense of importance and makes the production company seem big and sucessfull.



Our logo includes a picture of the Earth which references to Gaia. The image of the Earth creates a sense of mightiness.

Storyboard

This is our storyboard for our horror piece called Experimentation. We have decided to use a array of effects in our film to bring the piece to life. For example we have a few high angle shots to make the actors look vulnerable and scared. In editing I have decided that between each shot there will be a quick cut, similar to the effect they use in paranormal activity, a sucessfull film series which uses a the hand-held camera effect. 

Filming Style Research

As a group we decided to include the famous hand held camera technique. Many famous horror films use this technique to add realism to the plot and to make the film much more believable.

Some famous examples are:

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Three student film-makers venture to Maryland to investigate the legend of the 'Blair Witch', a supernatural force who haunts the local forest. The three students (Heather, Michael and Joshua) venture forth into the forest only to become lost and unable to escape the trees. Through several nights they encountered unexplainable phenomenon and eventually Heather and Michael loose Joshua in the night. The climatic film ends with Heather and Michael entering an old, abandoned house and find their lost friend in the basement. The camera falls to the floor and the movie ends.

Cloverfield (2008) 

During a suprise party, New York city becomes under attack by an unknown entity bent of death and destruction. A group of the party guests venture forth into the damaged city with a hand-held camera to document their escape and survival. The come under attack from alien creatures in the subway and Marlena dies dramatically as a result. The film ends with two of the lead characters sheltering under a bridge when a bomb explodes nearby and kills them both.

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Micah and Katie, a young couple become suspicous of an unknown prescence haunting their house. At first Micah jokes about the situation and laughs at a paranormal investigator that Katies invites other. However over several nights the activity slowly worsens with noises, objects moving and vicous attacks. Eventually Katie becomes possessed and kills Micah.

Effect of the hand-held filming style

The hand-held camera creates an amateur effect which overall makes the film seem more realistic. It seems that if the more realistic a horror film is the more dramatic people will react as the realism makes the viewer believe that such events that appear in the film will affect the viewer in real life

Second Location Visit

We decided to go on a second visit to Staughton Moor, this time during the day and for longer to find    additional area's that could be suitable for our horror film. We also revisited area's we'd already been to, to explore them further.

Army Barracks- Revisited

When we revisited the army barracks we were able to explore it more thoroughly. This time we discovered that there were three buildings all together and two were accessible. In each barrack there was one large room which would be big enough to film easily enough. The barracks obviously show signs of abandoment, with vines creeping over the walls and some bricks laying on the floor.

Abandoned Army Training Ground

 

We visited the abandoned army training ground which was abandoned much more recently compared to the army barracks in the forest. Therefore it retained many modern aspects and was much safer than the previous location. However it still showed signs of abandonment, with cobwebs and broken window. This area was much larger as well, with a lot of room to get a variety of shots.

Airfield Building

For our final area we got permission to go in an old watch tower on the airfield. This was by far my favourite location as you gain a real sense of isolation. This building contained many modern aspects such as desks, electrical equipment and office furniture which gave it a realistic feel. The majority of the rooms we're ruined, which created atmosphere but could also symbolise danger.

Horror Film- Location Research

The location we have decided to use is called Staughton Moor which is in the middle of the countryside and far from any town or village We chose to go when it became darker to give us a feel of the atmosphere and to see what the setting would be like for filming.

Our experience here was genuinely frightening. The lack of vision forced us to rely on our other senses and personally I became very jumpy at any noise or anything that moved. Most of these were normal noises that wouldn't bother anyone in the day such as birds, tree's rustling and dog's barking. However the spooky sorroundings made these much more sinister. The isolation of the area also helps to make typically normal things much more scary.

There were many different aspects of the Moor that appeal to our horror film.

Industrial Units

 
A part of Staughton Moor is called 'Little America' which was abandoned but still retains many of the desks and chairs along with piles of rubble. I think this area will relate well with our concept of a goverment agency doing experiments on strangers as it has a modern but eerie feel. The cracked windows and broken object give it a rather haunting feeling .

Army Barracks

Nearby the industrial units is a forest which has many old army barracks which were used in world war 2.  Personally I think these were much more eerie than the industrial units as they were both old and sorrounded by tree's which made me feel even more isolated. 

 

Stereotypical horror fans.

Male

Likes: Sport, technology
Dislikes: School, work
Clothing: Branded,  Topman
Music: Rock, Indie, R'n'B
Occupation: Student/ part-time worker (e.g. shop assistant)
Age: 16-18
Class status- Middle class
Favourite films: The Hangover, Cool Runnings

Female

Likes: Make-up, fashion
Dislikes: School, sport
Clothing: Primark, Superdry
Music: Pop, R'n'B, Chart songs
Ocuppation: Student, Mcdonalds part-time
Age: 17-18
Class status: Middle Class
Favourite films: Titanic, Notebook

Initial planning- Title

After we decided on a rough plot we had to think of a suitable title that reflected our film. After much thought we decided on a few names. 
 Some of the names we thought of were:

.Experiment 1
.Experiment 1.2
.Experimentation
.Nazi Experimentation

Ultimately we decided to go with Experimentation as it is simple yet effective. When you hear the word 'experimentation' you automatically think of science which is where the roots of our horror film are based.

Horror film- Plot

Plot

The basis for our horror film plot stemmed from a 'horror maze' called Experiment 10 at Thorpe Park during a halloween event.

http://www.ukparknews.co.uk/entry/cms/?p=6596

This maze was a rather frightening experience as it played on your senses and created a tense atmosphere. The story behind Experiment 10 revolves around an agency performing experiments which thus created monsterous mutants.

We've decided that our plot will contain a few aspects from Experiment 10 but also employ our own ideas that will make it more original and unique.

Our Plot:

. Teenagers go camping in a isolated area with no signal on their phones

. A goverment agency abduct them and take them to a secret building to begin the experiments

. One of the victims escape but the goverment hunt them down

. The experiment resumes

. Another mass breakout accurs and all the experiments are released into society

We decided to add a twist to our plot with the goverment agency being the main villians and the experiments being the characters who are hunted down.

Popular Horror Films.

Horror films have firm place in the film industry. Therefore there have been a large handfull that have been very sucessfull, grossing millions in the cinema.
Here is a list of the top ten highest grossing horror films in the U.S.:

1) What Lies Beneath (2000)
Made $155 million

2) Gremlins (1984)
Made $148 million

3) The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Made $141 million

4) A Christmas Carol (2009)
Made $138 million

5) Godzilla (1998)
Made $136 million

6) The Ring (2002)
Made $129 million

7) The Grudge (2004)
Made $110 million

8) Paranormal Activity (2007)
Made $108 million

9) Scream (1996)
Made $103 million

10) Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
Made $103 million

Horror films are highly sucessfull and can make millions in the cinema. One thing from the list to point out is how the films aren't all modern ones with amazing special effects and top of the range technology. Another point to make is how only one sequel appears on the list. It seem's as if people usually prefer original films rather than sequels. This could be, because sequels tend to use the ideas from the first film so the become predictable and less scary.

Horror/ Thriller movie research- Titles

There are a wide variety of horror/ thriller movie titles. A vast amount of them are single words such as "Psycho (1960)" and "Frakenstein (1931)". The short titles a blunt and give the audience a idea of a certain element involved within the film. From "Psycho" we can tell that the film will revolve around a insane killer. It gives the audience a chance to form their own ideas and thoughts even before the movie begins. This helps to create tension because the audience wait to see if their expectations are met, which sometimes they aren't.

Another title trend is the use of strange or foreign words such as "Nosferatu (1922)" and "Onibaba (1964)". These do the complete opposite of the blunt and short titles because the audience generally have no idea what it means, unless they're knowledgable in another language. This technique also creates tension because we can predict anything from the titles, this is left to posters, trailers and the movie itself. Its as if the audience are going into a pitch-black room, not knowing what will happen next.

These two techniques have given me ideas for our own title, it has to be something that is short but doesn't give to much away to audience otherwise the film will become to predictable and have less of an effect on the audience.

Settings- horror movie research

The setting for horror/thriller films is usually one the initiates fear. Some typical examples include graveyards, asylums and derilict buildings. Another theme that appears in nearly all horror is that it is set at night. The darkness takes away the characters and audience sense of sight, thus making them more vulnerable. Overall the setting must connate a sense of danger and isolation, putting the lead characters in a vulnerable and often life endangering situation. However a setting doesn't need to be a stereotypical one to be sucessfull. This is evident in the 'Paranormal Activity Films'. The setting for these films is a 'normal' house. But the use of certain camera techniques creates fear rather than the actual setting. However it could possibly be that the normailty of such a house enables the audience to relate to it better. It gives the impression that even in the security of your own home you aren't safe.

Some famous examples of horror movie settings:

The Amityville House

Another example of a 'normal' setting becoming a frightful and terrifying place

The Blair Witch Forest

A more stereotypical location that creates a sense of isolation and danger

Alien

This is an example where the setting is completely fictional. It has little reference to the real world but allows the audiences imagination to 'run wild'.

Famous horror movie directors

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock was a famous horror/thriller director born in England. He pioneered many technique in suspense and psychological thrillers. He is famous for films such as Psycho, The Birds and Rear Window.

Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick was an American film director and was highly aclaimed in his directing skills. His most famous film is the film adaptation of 'The Shining'. However he has directed a few more sucessfull films such as Clockwork Orange and 2001 A Space Odyssey.

Lucio Fulci

Lucio Fulci, an Italian film director was given the nickname 'The Master of Gore'. His movies are famous for being very visual and dramatic with what seems like an unlimited supply of blood. Some of his more famous films are Zombies 11, The Beyond and City of the Living Dead.

Horror/Thriller movies character research

Villains

 

The vallians in horror/thriller films are usually shown to be muderous character under a disguise/ They initiate fear for the other characters and the audience. They can possess paranormal abilities which make them even more scarier or can simply be deranged but normal human beings which makes them more realistic for audience members. Usually the villains have a disgusie, this is evident with characters such as 'The Scream' or Stephen Kings 'It'. Their disguises also initiate fear with their frightfull appearances and the inabiltiy for the audience to identify them.

The Damsel In Distress

Another reacuring horror character is the stereotypical 'damsel in distress'. These characters are women and typically blonde and vulnerable. This type of character helps the audience sympathise with the characters with their lack of courage and tendency to cry or to get themselves in difficult situations.

The Leader

The leader of the surviving group is usually the bravest and is normally hard-headed, spuring the other members on towards certain location or goal. They have the typical traits of a person in charge and is usually a rational and smart character.

Se7en Title Sequence

 2 seconds- An old book appears.
 3 seconds- Production Company Logo "New Line Cinema Presents...".
 7 seconds- The inner title appears- black and white font.
 8 seconds- A close-up of a distorted hand.
13 seconds- Brad Pitt's name.
16 seconds- Close-up of a razor cutting away fingerprints. Connotates the themes of crime and secrecy.
18 seconds- Morgan Freeman's name.
23 seconds- Tile of the films name "SE7EN".
24 seconds- Title flashes. Connotates a sense of danger and urgency.
29 seconds- Gwyneth Paltrow's name.
34 seconds- Close up of writting and overlapping images. Connotates a sense of mystery.
36 seconds- Red filter. Connotates danger.
39 seconds- A film, being cut up with scissors. The scissors connotate danger and the cutting connotates somnething to hide.
43 seconds- Close up of photos and paper clips. This connotates that the character is tracking or following someone.
52 seconds- A newspaper being cut up. John Cassini's name.
61 seconds- Point of view shot. Distorted hands are crossing out words. This also connotates secrecy.
71 seconds- An image of a boy with his eyes scribbled out. This connotates danger for that paticular character.
74 seconds- The red filter appears again with the image of the boy with his whole face scribbled out.
76 seconds- Red filter remains with images at the top and pens at the bottom of the screen.
79 seconds- Red filter remains with one large image.
85 seconds- Close up of dirty hands binding a book. Binding the book connotates secrets remaining hidden.
95 seconds- Photo's appear on the screen. 
96 seconds- The dirty hands play with a needle. This connotates pain.
102 seconds- Hands thread needle through paper. Connontates binding a story together and keeping it a secret.
107 seconds- The book is binded.
118 seconds- Multiple photos.

The Seven title sequence suggests and connotates a number of things related to secrecy and danger. The music has an uneasy quality about it. We never see the characters face which fuels a scary atmosphere.

Preliminary Task

For our preliminary task we were asked to film a basic sequence with a two lines of dialouge. Before this task I had no prior experience with using a video camera. However I soon found it easy to use. We learnt how to establish different camera shots to create differents effects and not to break the 180 degree rule.