After looking back over our preliminary filming we have noticed some parts we need to improve on, for example our continuity editing wasn't the best as at some parts in the video you might notice the actor jumping back from the shot before, this can be fixed with marking where each shot starts and ends so as to get the actor to be in the correct position to make the film run smoothly, and also by editing and cutting each scene at the right time. We noticed at the beginning of the film that the lighting was not great as the main source of light was from behind the actor which gave him a silhouette effect which didn't look good and didn't fit the type of shot we were going for and other than that light the film was dark which made the actor look out of focus. Another problem we encountered whilst filming was the top plate of our tripod wasn't fitted properly so the first few shots were wonky and we didn't notice this until we got into editing.
          
The main thing we have learnt from doing the preliminary filming and editing is that we learnt that the filming isn't just point and shoot you need to carefully think out the location you are shooting at and plan lots beforehand, as well as checking the noise and light. Another important step in getting good shots is that all you equipment is set up correctly and get used to using your equipment.

Horror Poster Deconstructions

Posters from HenryP16


This presentation shows a few different posters from Horror films that I can relate to in my own work, showing what codes and conventions I can use. 

Here is an anamatic that I have created showing my storyboard ideas.

It is really useful as I can see what shots I need to take and means that I am more prepared for when I go out and film.

This presentation has shown me lots of helpful tips to use in my work that I may have forgotten. It will be useful to refer back to whilst going through the course such as checking my equipment before filming and other such things.

Presentation nov 4 from petefrasers

Audience Feedback

I asked some of my target audience questions about the genre of Horror so I could find out what other people expect and look for in horror films. It also showed me things that people enjoyed in horror movies. It proved that they agreed with the codes and conventions of Horror that I have previously written about such as dark lighting and blood.

Filming techniques/ Preliminary filming

During our lesson on monday we were given cameras to go out and practice some techniques and to get used to filming.  Using a tripod, I practiced filming all the different camera angles/shots that I have planned to use in my short film, such as panoramic shots and point of view. It helped me to get more of an idea of how to take the shots so I am prepared for when I go out to start filming which will save time when on location. 

The hour I spent practicing also helped me to get used to the equipment that I will be using such as how to move the camera in a smooth motion and how to set it up. 
I learnt how much easier it will be to film with a tripod to help keep the shots still rather than holding it myself which could be unreliable to keep a still shot.


Here is evidence of my filming, showing me using the tripod whilst taking a pan shot:

Short Horror Movie deconstruction

I have been looking at different short horror films similar to what I am aiming to do to get some more influences for my own work.
"FALLOUT" uses lots of typical conventions of a horror movie, at the start we see a masked man, preparing himself for something getting weapons ready. He looks rough and we dont see his face. The lighting is dark, and the music suggests something bad will happen as it is slow and eery, this makes the audience think that he is the antagonist as they are all features that are commonly are used to show the villan in all kinds of genres. In the following scene he walks around an empty, lifeless town looking at a childrens play park, aiming a gun at a rabbit, making the film seem as though it isn't horror at all and you don't know what is actually happen as everything seems so surreal. It subverts the genre by showing a location you would not associate with horror but something you might expect to have a happy, cheerful environment and brings it into a different light of horror, where everything is deserted and an evil looking man is there instead, where you might normally accosciate children playing. 
This shows me that you don't have to always follow the conventions you'd normally see in the genre and that subverting it could make it more scary due to the fact that it seems like something people would see in every day life.  

Whilst the character we are shown at the start is looking around, the feel changes using a point of view shot from behind some trees, adding a slight twist as it makes it seem like he is being watched by someone/ something which makes us think he may not be the antagonist but rather a protagonist that does not follow the conventions that you may expect of that role. This is also shown when the actor is narrating the scene and talks about survivors, making him sound as though he is trying to help people. 

The music used in the park is used to create suspense. It is very slow and eery, 

Storyboarding

Characters

In my short film I have chosen to use only two characters, making my film simple and also follow some horror movie conventions. 

The Protagonist will be very stereotypical of a horror film, being a young, helpless and innocent attractive female whereas the Antagonist will be male, much bigger and stronger, his face will be covered in shadow and will not be revealed and will have dark hair making much more enigmatic, possibly wearing a mask.



This image shows my actor who will be playing the antagonist in my short film. He is an A-level drama student, therefore he should be very good at playing his role due to experience in acting. When he was younger he even played a part in a feature length film called, The Queen of Sheba's Pearls so he will already be good at following instructions in filming.





Protagonist definition:

1. The main character in a drama or other literary work.

2. In ancient Greek drama, the first actor to engage in dialogue with the chorus, in later dramas playing the main character and some minor characters as well.

Antagonist definition:

1. One who opposes and contends against another; an adversary.

2. The principal character in opposition to the protagonist or hero of a narrative or drama.

 

Costume

The main character will be wearing quite stereotypical teenager clothing, probably just jeans and a plain t-shirt with no branding on so as not to advertise company's. 
The Antagonist however will be wearing very dark clothing, making him harder to see and more conceiled. He will be made to look rough, to add to the fear, with the clothes being worn down with holes in. The antagonist will probably wear jeans and a checkered shirt and hoodie, as that is very stereotypical of his role, as it is very simple.
Another idea I had was to completly subvert the horror genre, making him wear a suit as that would look much more formal so as not to expect anything bad of him, leading to more of a twist towards the end.
One final idea was for him to wear a mask as that leaves more to the imagination so you do not know what he's really like and could be trying to hide something.

Props

I will be using very few props as the plot to my short film is fairly simple and in a very remote location. There will be phone used that the protagonist looks at near the beginning, a plastic knife or similar weapon carried by the antagonist and also a noose that will appear in the background of a shot as it connotes the genre of HORROR and could give lots of meanings behind it raising questions about the film.

I found this image of a knife and decided to upload it to show an example of the weapon I'm considering using. This was a good picture showing it as it also helped show the genre of horror with the arm under shadow and the light as well as the focus on the knife. 
I plan to use one and possibly get it to glisten in the sun drawing attention to it.

Target Audience

Risk Assessment 

This is my risk assessment that I have made for my location. The location I have chosen to film at is a forest in the middle of nowhere as it is a common convention of a horror film, with dark lighting and eery sounds. 

At the end of the film it goes to a shot in a bedroom for a split second which will not have many risks other than just being careful and making sure that the room is clear so I have not made a table for it as it seemed unnecessary. 

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Risk	Solution
Filming from a car	Wear a seatbelt at all times, try not to go too quickly as it could lead to dropping the camera out of the window
Not being able to see due to dark environment	Bring a torch and possibly use headlamps from the car to light up the location
Equipment being knocked over	Check that all equipment is stable and set up correctly using tripods for the cameras
Falling over because of a slippery surface	Wear sensible footwear and watch where we’re going
Getting lost	Make sure that we check out the location before hand to get to know the area, possibly take a map
Tripping over sticks or roots	Be careful and look where we’re going
Falling out of a tree whilst taking a high angle, or birds eye view shot	Use safety equipment and be careful
Falling over the cliff	Stay away from cliff