Evaluation Of My Opening Sequence

Evaluation Of My Opening Sequence

In this evaluation of my opening sequence I will be presenting screenshots of my work in the process of making the opening sequence. I will be discussing the use of camera techniques, sound, mise-en-scene, editing, genre and representation in my opening sequence. 


YouTube link to my opening sequence: https://youtu.be/c6FR5aDXvMg

Production of my Opening Sequence:

Camera Techniques:

I used a variety of camera techniques in both scenes and I made sure i used fast paced shots in the first scene compared to the second which is a lot slower and just has instant cuts which keeps the audience on their toes. 

In the first scene the main camera shots/techniques I used were handheld to create suspense and tension for my audience, a mix of close up, medium and wide. I also had a panning shot as the established shot, a couple of low floor shots and a sideways shot (dutch tilt) to create disorientation for the audience. 

In the second scene the main camera shots/techniques I used were a couple of medium close ups, a few extreme close ups, wide shot, over the shoulder, medium shot and two shot. They were either filmed on tripod or handheld. 

Sound:

I added a lot of sounds and music which goes beneath where the video is placed. 

I edited the sound simply by either increasing or decreasing the audio gain. 

Editing:

I used Premiere Pro to place text over a shot and create the opacity so that the text fades in and then out after a a period of time and to time it with the particular shot. 

For effects, I mainly used opacity to fade the text in and out, displaying actors/actresses names and their character names. I used effects controls and marked every keyframe to a certain opacity. So for instance I made the text invisible to start with and then slowly faded it in with each keyframe. I increased the opacity gradually in several keyframes and once the text was at 100%, after 3-4 seconds I would then slowly decrease the opacity so it became invisible again. 

Use of After Effects

I used After Effects to create the effects of my main title zooming out. this was a new program that I have never used before. I learnt new skills in using this program. I can do the same skills on Premiere Pro but in using this, I could manipulate the text a lot easier. 

Final Production:

My Media Product: 

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

For my A-Level media studies, we had to create an opening sequence of any genre we wanted to. I chose to make a thriller opening sequence which would be targeted at teenagers. In order to make a successful thriller opening sequence I had to add suspense, fast paced action, build tension within it and to also post edit the shots to make it fast paced. I made the protagonist female and the antagonist male for my opening sequence. 

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

My thriller is a mainstream thriller - that means it follows the genres conventions without really changing them compared to an independent thriller that does the opposite by frequently challenging the original genres and have specific narrative structures. 

Ways in distributing thrillers, can be in various ways for example online via the internet which is an easy way in being able to get my opening sequence to my specific target audience. Popular websites can be places like iTunes, YouTube, Facebook and a lot of social media places which teenagers (my target audience) use frequently and will easily be able to view my opening sequence on. 

Who would be the audience for your media product?

My opening sequence is targeted to 15 year old's plus. The main characters that the 'film' is set around are between 14 to 20 and the story line looks at activities and language that are more used amongst the older teenagers.A demographic of older teenagers find the thrills and suspense of horror films enjoyable therefore they find them more interesting as some have extremely unexpected outcomes and don't always have happy endings which interests a general selection of teenagers. 

How did you attract/address your audience?

 

In putting my opening sequence on social media, it enables my target audience to see and evaluate it. I asked for feedback and I received some really good and critical comments from a fellow media student in another college, in my target audience. This also made it better as she was able to view and evaluate my opening sequence professionally and not have friendship cloud judgement. She commented on what I have done really well with my opening sequence such as text, editing, sound, miss-en-scene and camera techniques. She also commented and told me what I could change in order to make it flow better and make more sense for the audience and how i should move some shots/text/credits to create more tension/suspense. 

Above is one of the examples of the changes I made from feedback from my target audience. I moved one of the titles/credits to have more fluidity and to respond to the feedback of the respondent. 

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

I have developed my skills in Photoshop in creating my company and film logo. I also used new programs Premiere Pro and After Effects. 

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

I have developed my skills in Premiere Pro of not just putting text on top of shots but creating effects for those pieces of text by using opacity, position, scale etc to manipulate the texts movements. 

I have also used more software to help create my opening sequence such as Photoshop to make the titles - the main title and the production title. I also used After Effects to create the effects for my main title so I could have more experience in using different pieces of software rather than just one. 

I also have used a wider range of camera techniques, more than in the preliminary film. For my preliminary film, the shorts were basic. I have used a lot more shots to create suspense and make the audience a lot more interest and to draw them in. 

29. Storyboards

Scene 1 Storyboards:

Scene 2 Storyboards:

36. Mise en Scene Considerations

 Mise en Scene Considerations

For mise-en-scene considerations I have analysed each aspect of my planning for opening sequence. I went through where it was shot, location, costume, props, make up & hair styles. 

The opening sequence was shot in different locations but not on set. This meant it wasn't cost effective but at this location we used every minute of time we had and used all the space that was available to us and what we needed. The locations I shot the opening sequence was in two specific locations that I scouted for and completed documents for. The first location was a youth club based within a church which had a large car park I which the stalker could be situated at the end of, hidden by large hedges. I used the foyer and part of the car park for shooting the second part of the opening sequence and I was able to include a number of extras for the shooting alongside the main characters. I chose this location as youth clubs are where teens congregate together which was perfect for the storyline of the opening sequence. The 2nd location I filmed in was a public pathway, near St Mary's CofE High School. This location was perfect for the main character to run as the pathway is level and there was no risk of any danger. The forest is a popular location for horror films as it represents uncertainty and I thought it would be a great location for this scene as the whispering noises would be creepy as they could be the trees whispering or unknowingly be ghouls in the forest, scaring the main character. 

The costumes had to be specific and obviously they are teenagers so we will dress them appropriately. The actor playing 'the stalker' is always going to be in a dark hoodie and jeans to create mystery and suspense as the camera will be positioned a to not see their face. The actress playing 'Grace' will be dressed in casual, loose clothing like baggy jumper and jeans but they wont be bright colours but colours like grey and black so to single her out from the other characters because the stalker singles her out of her group of friends. The extras will be in bright clothing so that 'Grace' is singled out in terms of costume. The actors will be dressed in big clothes as we will be filming in cold weather and filming a lot of scenes exterior. 

24. Genre Conventions

Genre Conventions

Genre conventions is about stock plots, stock themes, stock characters, stock locations, stock props within each genre. For example in an action film, the stock plot for the genre would be that the protagonist would prevail and the antagonist would lose the fight;die or be put in jail. For this report I will be analyzing the stock 'parts' of the horror/thriller genre. I have chosen these 2 genres to analyse as one of them is going to be the genre of my opening sequence.

• Stock Plot/Themes:

Horror films commonly focus on the introduction of an evil force, person, or event. Numerous horror films involve the use of scary creatures such as ghosts, vampires, and zombies. Horror films use a lot of violence and gore into their plots. Sometimes horror can overlaps into other genres such as fantasy, thriller, and science-fiction.

Examples of Horror films:

A Nightmare on Elm Street - several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger , a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers in their dreams.

Saw - Two strangers awaken in a room with no recollection of how they got there or why, and soon discover they are pawns in a deadly game perpetrated by a notorious serial killer.

Friday the 13th -

A group of young adults discover a boarded up Camp Crystal Lake, where they soon encounter Jason Voorhees and his deadly intentions.

The thriller genre mainly is centered around anticipation, uncertainty and suspense. The purpose of thriller films is to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The protagonist in thriller films typically comes up against a problem which can either be an escape, a mission, a mystery etc. which almost always involves the antagonist. Thriller can fall into different sub-genre categories and it may differ but this will emphasize the danger that the protagonist faces if say it is combined with horror to have a hybrid genre. In thriller, tension is kept throughout the film to get the audience intrigued and concentrating and typically leads to a highly stressful climax for both the protagonist and antagonist.

Examples of Thriller films:

The Great Escape - Imprisoned during World War II in a German POW camp, a group of Allied soldiers are intent on breaking out, not only to escape, but also to draw Nazi forces away from battle to search for fugitives.

The Silence of the Lambs - A young F.B.I. cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims.

North By Northwest - A hapless New York advertising executive is mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and is pursued across the country while he looks for a way to survive.

• Stock Characters:

In horror there are six main stock characters:

1. Female Victim: This character is almost in every horror film and this character is often depicted as vulnerable. E.g. Psycho 1960
2. Non-Believer: Can be of either gender and is portrayed as cocky and usually over confident. This character believes that the others are over reacting. 
3. Hero: This character can be of either gender and tends to be the strongest out mentally out of the whole group and copes better with circumstances. 
4. Hysterical Character: usually female and stubborn, this character always gets killed at some point whether it be she is killed last or she is left behind and killed. 
5. Evil Character: this character can take the form of anything from a ghost to a werewolf to a serial killer. They have the biggest impact on the film and attract the audiences attention. Their identity is normally hidden by a mask or a form that disguises their form from all appearance and emotion. 
6. Loved Up Couple: this couple are normally all over each other when they are just about to be killed. 

In thriller there are also six main stock characters:

1. The Protagonist (Hero): this character will normally fall victim to someones scheme and get stuck in a moment of dread and fear for their life.This character gives the storyline bulk,character etc. 
2. The Antagonist (Villain): this character is the main obstacle that the hero will face and they cause the most pain, distress and terror in the film. 
3. Damsel: this character, mainly female, is almost always svaed by the hero and they tag alongside the hero for the remainder of the film. 
4. Female Fatal: similar to the female victim in horror, this character is almost always the first one dead and is typically portayed as blonde and oblivious. 
5. Hot Shot: this character is also similar to the non-beliver in horror, except they fell they can get rid of the problem and believes they are better than the hero. 
6. Reluctant/Accidental Hero: this character may save someone in the film from the antagonist but not meaning to steal the limelight and is normally someone really unexpected. 

• Stock Locations:

Horror: 

Haunted House : 

• this is the most common location for a horror film
• mostly involves a fatal accident occurring in order for it to be haunted
• it could be haunted by a curse placed on the house to cause ghosts, possessing people. E.g Enfield Haunting (The Conjuring 2)

Cemetery :

• this is also a common location to set parts of horror films in
• the reason it is a good location is that it is connected with ghosts, death and the undead. Perfect for zombie films E.g Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Suburban (residential) House:

• used more in modern horror films E.g Paranormal Activity
• it has been used in more recent years as is looks more realistic to audiences and the audience can connect with the film more. 

Rural Area:

• often isolated locations
• filmmakers choose specific areas in order for it to look as if the character has no way out e.g lost in a thick forest E.g Blair Witch Project
• rural areas don't have to be just forests but can be mountains, oceans or even space. 

• Stock Props :

Horror: 

Weapon:

• nearly always used in horror films
• can range from a gun to a crossbow to a chainsaw
• they can be used by both the antagonist and protagonist for attacking or as defence
• weapons are needed for horror films or else it would be fights with their bare hands which wouldn't be as scary or tense for horror. 

Mask:

• used to hide the antagonists identity E.g Scream
• or in cases like Hannibal Lector he has a mask to prevent cannibalising people as he is a serial killer

32. Casting & Extras Casting documents

Casting & Extras Casting documents

Casting:

Extras Casting

25. Target Audience

Target Audience of my Opening Sequence

My opening sequence is targeted to 15 year old's plus. The main characters that the 'film' is set around are between 14 to 20 and the story line looks at activities and language that are more used amongst the older teenagers. 

The films of the same genre that would be my inspiration the Evil Dead, Unfriended, Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream and Sorority Row. I chose these 5 films as my inspiration because they all have one thing in common which is that they involve teenagers as the main characters which is the same as my story ideas. These five films are the basis of my inspiration as for example Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream and Unfriended are based around high school teenagers as the main characters in these three films. Whereas Sorority Row and Evil Dead are the the older age of university students. I felt that looking at these films I could see the kind of horrors that the film makers chose for the age group. For example the older teens/young adults based horror films are more focused on horrors/monsters such as possessing and serial killers whereas with the teenage age groups are more about supernatural hauntings etc. Three of these films i have chosen as influences for my film have a common denominator with my idea of opening sequence. Sorority Row, Scream and Nightmare on Elm Street all have serial killers/stalkers as their monster and in looking at each of the use of this monster to scare the audience and to get them more interested, I have implemented some of those ideas in my opening sequence such as spooking the characters and making them confused as to what is spooking them exactly.

A demographic of older teenagers find the thrills and suspense of horror films enjoyable therefore they find them more interesting as some have extremely unexpected outcomes and don't always have happy endings which interests a general selection of teenagers.  

26. Audience Questionnaire Link & Results

Audience Questionnaire Link & Results

I created a questionnaire on SurveyMonkey for audience members to answered and I posted the link on my social media for my friends and family to answer with ease. It involved 10 different questions about the genre horror. I did this questionnaire to see the opinions of different ages and to see how much they differentiate or don't. The question styles involved comment boxes and multiple choice as well as others to suit the style of question. 

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/X2RRDTZ

Results:

1.

This question is a quantitative data question. This was asking the relevant question of what age groups were asking these questions about horror films. As the data shows, no one answered in the children age group and this could be due to the fact that I posted the questionnaire for people to answer on my social media page, therefore no one under the age of 15 would have been able to answer my questionnaire. I found out that the majority of people who took the time to answer my questionnaire were in my target age group for my opening sequence. For teenagers 41.18% out of 17 people, 7 teens, answered it and for young adults it was the same percentage out of 17 people.

2.

This question is a qualitative data question. All the surveyors answered this question and it showed to me whether the people who answered my questionnaire were of same mind or have very different opinions. There is a level playing field for loving the genre and liking it as the percentages are the same for both answers (29.41%). And for disliking the genre only 23.53% agreed and only 17.65% don't watch horror films. This question showed me that out of the seven Teenagers that answered the questions that 2 love the genre, 3 think it is okay, 1 dislikes it and 1 doesn't actually watch this genre of film. It also showed me that out of the seven Young Adults that answered the questions that 3 love the genre, 1 thinks it is okay, 1 dislikes it and 2 don't watch this genre of film. And out of the three mature adults none loved the genre, 1 thought it is okay, 2 dislike it and none don't watch this genre. This question was to determine whether my target audience was genuinely interested in this genre as a lot of horror films involve teenagers that are in some predicament. I found out that Young Adults enjoy watching this genre more than Teenagers. 

3.

This question is a qualitative question. This results showed to me that over half of the people (8) who answered found Evil Humans to be the scariest monster in this genre (53.33%). Seven people found zombies to be the most scariest monsters in this genre (46.63%). Some also added comments as well as answering the question for example two people chose two monsters I didn't have in my question (possessed people & ghosts) and some as well picking zombies or evil humans also added that they found demons scary too in this genre. This was beneficial for my research as it gave me a great insight as to what my target audience are expecting and not wanting in a horror film, therefore it helps me decide for when I am filming and planning my opening sequence. This will be beneficial for my production planning as it has given me an insight as to what monsters people find scarier than others. Since this is a genre designed to scare people I will pick what i think will intrigue people to watch and not be too scared off because of the monsters included. 

4.

This question is a qualitative question. Straight away I found that two people (Young Adult and Mature Adult) skipped the question which shows to me straight away that they have nothing that they like about the genre. As these answers were opinion based, I collated the answers to see what were similar to others and how some were different. Three people said that they didn't like the genre but they didn't state why they didn't like the genre (Young Adult x2 and Mature Adult) which is 17.65%. Three people said that they liked it because it is thrilling which is 17.65%. Two people enjoy the tension that the genre entails which is 11.77% and the other seven had very different answers such as "the use of dark lighting" or that it is "very entertaining" or they like the "scary aspect" which is 41.18%. Or some stated that they prefer another genre to horror e.g comedy. This is beneficial to my research as it told me what my target audience likes about this genre which benefits my production planning as I can now build on my opening sequence in terms of adding things they like such as thrills, tension, scariness aspect etc.  

5.

This question is a qualitative question. For this question, no one skipped it therefore this helps me to cross out anything that people don't like in horror films and that may drive them away from watching it. The biggest percentage in answer was that there is "nothing" they dislike about the genre horror. That percentage was 17.65% and those who said this answer were 2x teenagers and 1 young adult which is perfect for my target audience, but I still went through each of my respondents answers to see what they disliked.  Two respondents find the genre disturbing, whereas another two find that it makes the audience jump. A lot of the respondents have their own personal as the results show, which for each of them is 5.88%, a small percentage in scheme of things. 

6.

This question is a qualitative question. This was beneficial for my research as it gave me a great insight as to what teenagers are expecting and not wanting in a horror film, therefore it helps me decide for when I am filming and planning my opening sequence. Four out of 17 respondents ( 23.53%) stated that they expect some kind of a disaster in an opening sequence and three out of 17 respondents ( 17.65% ) expect to see some sort of family situation in a horror opening sequence. Then four sets of two people (13.33% per pair/53.32% total) expect either spooky music, scary things, a mystery or an introduction to the protagonist or antagonist. Finally two people had different opinions to the other respondents, one respondent (5.88%) expects there to be a child alone/abandoned as part of the story and the other respondent  (5.88%) expects absolutely anything to occur in a horror film and is open to story line ideas by filmmakers. 

7.

This question is a qualitative question. This was beneficial for my research as it showed to me how many horror films my respondents watch and what age groups out of my respondents watch horror films more than another age group. Nine out of 17 respondents (52.94%) stated that they only Sometimes watch films from this particular genre. 4 of those respondents were teenagers (23.53%), 3 were young adults (17.65%) and 2 were mature adults (13.33%). Four out of 17 respondents stated that they Never watch films from this particular genre (23.53%). 1 of those respondents was a teenager (5.88%), 2 were young adults (13.33%) and 1 was a mature adult (5.88%). For both Often (13.33%) and Loads (13.33%) they had two people each, one teenager (5.88%) and a young adult (5.88%) chose these answers.  This shows to me that the majority of the teenagers and young adults don't particularly like watching this genre of film a lot. 

 8.

 9.

10.