Construction Linked to Theories and Storyboard

Above we can see some shots taken and how they link to the storyboard that we had created during initial stages of production. During the filming process we decided to alter some shots and scenes as well as incorporate more features of mise-en-scene that were based around Christmas as we found that it was effective for our horror genre to incorporate subversions such as a jolly Christmas theme. During this process we also looked into more conventional horror trailers in order to understand what kind of scenes and shots were most effective and professional looking. 

Attention to Framing

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Rough Cut

This video presents our rough cut which was created at initial stages of production, The rough cut does follow our story-line yet it was within the process of creation that we discovered that elements of our story-line didn't make sense or didn't follow through with conventions of a horror film. Making the rough cut enabled us to find out which scenes we were missing so that we could plan other days to film. This rough cut is still missing some integral scenes to the plot however, we were soon able to fill these gaps with two extra nights of filming. 

Shots Taken and Mise-En-Scene

The images taken for poster by Slidely Photo Gallery

These images show the test shots for our poster, the majority of these shots were taken outside with the light from the front garden and flashlight apps from our phones. We used high angles to simulate the "peep-hole" effect which places emphasis on the element of intrusion and voyeurism. 

Research into Use of Music

When deciding what kind of music to include in our trailer we looked at a multitude of trailers with similar concepts. We found that the majority begun with happy and upbeat soundtracks that then progressed into slower tracks, got cut off completely or got distorted. An example of this would be the "The Visit" trailer which was a film that came out last year in September. 

This is also achieved in the trailer for "Unfriended" which was released in January. The music progresses from light and happy to suddenly being cut off by non-diegetic sounds which is a feature that has been used in out trailer. 

When deciding on the types of sound effects we wanted to use, we looked into existing media texts to find out what worked best naturally without appearing out of place. Below are two clips of sound effects that we have used in our trailer.

Use of Sound Effects

The sound clip below highlights some of the sound effects we used throughout out trailer. We found that the majority of the sounds we included, appeared to elevate and get higher in pitch to come across as scarier and to build up tension; this was included after the period of the disruption of equilibrium.  After putting in sound effects with music included, we started putting in diegetic sounds such as heavy breathing and panting as well as door knocks and phones ringing. We did this as after the production process, we found that most of the sound made during recording was made fainter by music and other sound effects put in during post production. The diegetic sound effects put in and heightened allow the audiences to really understand how the characters are feeling and this is especially important with the genre of horror. 

Posts on titles and font use

From these fonts chosen from www.dafont.com, we have narrowed it down to the font circled below. As a group we came to this conclusion as the font was at an adequate thickness for manipulation on Photoshop but also narrow and professional enough to keep the theme of our magazine (horror) intact. 

Evidence of controlled use of camera

In order to create the right ambiance for this shot, we decided to use light from a phone. This was to include a white light which appears to create themes of exposure and panic as the normal yellow toned light conveys a feeling of calmness and normality, The camera in this shot was positioned at the top of the stairs whereas the actors where at the bottom running towards the camera and in this case safety. As they both frantically run to safety, one actor is pulled down the stairs and away from the camera by the supernatural force which illustrates the idea of further transgression from the equilibrium, 

Here we have a camera placed on one of my team members. It is placed in such as way to effectively create panning shots smoothly ans steadily as we did not have access to a track to create a dolly shot. Moreover, the dolly was placed at a lower angle than eye-height to convey the idea that it was through the eyes of the villain who would be lurking around the house. This is similar to the shot taken below. 

 In order to create a similar idea of dominance with the villain, the majority of the shots after the distribution of equilibrium were at a lower angle as the villain now has full power over the protagonists. 

These shots above were shot by hand without the use of any equipment to create the effect of intimate scenes were the audience may feel closely attached and included with the goings on in the situation. The natural jolts and movements created by the hand of the camera places emphasis of the feelings and general build up of tension and suspense.

Exploring Shot types and Sizes

In terms of shot types and sizes we used both the steady-cam and tripod as resources to film our shots. We also took the camera off of these pieces of equipment to create a handheld effect for shots which elevated elements of horror and suspense as we as the viewer were put in the position of the victim.

 When presenting our villain character we used both high and low shots to allow the viewer to take in the entirety of the visual effects that we had presented. The higher shots mimicked what the villain would look like through the fish eye lens or "peep hole". The "peep hole" feature plays an integral part in all aspects of our media texts as it conveys the feature of voyeurism and intrusion. Moreover, the lower angled shots highlight the superiority  present in the villain character in comparison to the protagonists and final girl. 

This is an example of a close up used for our trailer; in the rest of the trailer we used over the shoulder shots to enhance the feelings of intrusion and demonic possession through the use of a repeated circular panning movement. This was accompanied with repetitive chanting from the Bible.  

 Another example of an intrusive close up shot. 

Low and wide angle shot to highlight a protagonist entering the home from the outside which is dark and seemingly unsafe into the supposed safety of a home which is brightly lit as a contrast. 

 Mid-shot with mise-en-scene in the background to convey the themes of Christmas which is a time of festivities and happiness which will be subverted with themes of panic and the supernatural.

This is an extreme close-up with a darkly lit background which put focus onto the distressed and badly injured protagonist. She is holding a lighter which is the only source of light in the scene which is quickly removed when she is dragged across and away from the floor.

We used a slow pan to the right in this shot to emphasise themes of joy within the house and all the the characters. 

Careful Use of Mise-en-Scene

In order to carry out the element of continuity with our filming, we ensured that the scenes in which we filmed remained the same throughout the entirety of the filming process. As we filmed through the course of approximately four weeks through the Christmas period, we made sure of keeping decorations up as it would otherwise interfere with visual and on screen results. 

The images below highlight use of props and makeup used through our filming process.

Below is a video illustrating the process of creating our villain character with the use of makeup.

Evidence of Filming

Throughout the course of our filming process we took some pictures outlining what we did and certain shots we were trying out. I have also taken a photo of all the props we used for the filming process.