Construction 5 : Fake Blood

One final problem we experienced when filming was the fact we didn't have fake blood. This set us back in trying to make our opening sequence look realistic as we had to use ketchup instead. The issue with using ketchup is that it doesn't look realistic and is obvious that it isn't fake blood. It also didn't give us the real effect we needed, whereas if we used fake blood it would have given more of a freaky feel to the whole opening sequence but I don't feel ketchup creates the same effect.

Construction 4 : Titles

One piece of feedback we got back was to make our titles appear longer on screen. This could have caused problems for our whole opening sequence as our whole opening is edited to a beat, so that the cuts and music all go together and flow nicely. To over come this issue, we just switched some titles about, and put the titles of our opening sequence after our names and inserted a fade to make it last longer on screen. We wanted it to last longer on screen, so it was easier for the audience to read and so they wouldn't feel lost, if they couldn't read it properly.

The Game Never Ends : Final Opening Sequence

Evaluation 7

Evaluation 6

Evaluation 5

Evaluation 4

Evaluation 3

What kind of institution might distribute your media product 

and why?

The production company is called 'howl'. We chose this because it links in with our logo of a wolf and when a wolf howls is can be very loud and threatening. Our logo is of a wolf, which appears on the screen through the movement of smoke. The smoke creates an eerie effect and gives the whole logo a lot more dimension.

A distributor is an organisation who handles the theatrical release of a film in a particular country as well as the marketing and circulation of films for home viewing. 

In addition the distribution company we used is called Blumhouse Studios, which we chose because many of the films they distribute have a thriller/horror genre and most of the films have a very creepy atmosphere and a very eerie feel to them which is what we wanted our opening sequence to also have. 
 

For a film like ours, I think it would be best for the money to come from BFI film fund, as it will allow more of an audience to view our opening sequence, as the fund comes from the National Lottery. The National Lottery is obviously very popular and is used worldwide, so if we got BFI film to fund our opening sequence, it will give our film more recognition. It is suitable for BFI Funding as it is not a typical horror and it is British film so is also eligible for funding. 
 

Our titles, in our opening sequence, are shown in a certain way to show the different elements associated with how to made our sequence. Many jobs appear in our titles such as; music, distributor, costume, characters, production company.

Our film is similar to institutions that have a thriller genre to them, and are DVD's but are also disturbed in a Big Multiplex Cinema. Films such as, Momento.
 

Our film would be screened in a Big Multiplex cinema so that a range of different audiences can watch it, making it popular and allowing it to be viewed by anyone who wants to watch it even if they weren't our aimed target audience in the beginning. We would then DVD sell it, as DVD's are very popular and selling it on DVD in Blu-Ray would also make us a lot of money. 

I think our opening sequence would receive a 15 certificate from the BBFC as although there are jump scares, there isn't any violence or gore, which will make it suitable for 15 years and above to watch. Although there is the use of lighters, drugs and alcohol, it doesn't show any extreme usage or put the characters in any danger. There is the use of blood, but there isn't any fighting or gore, so just makes the opening sequence a lot more child friendly to watch.

Evaluation 2

Evaluation 1

How we used conventions in our opening sequence:

We have used conventions of an opening sequence to make it a conventional product that sets up a film effectively. At the beginning of the opening sequence establishing shots have been used to introduce the setting. The very first shot is the characters walking through the gates of the graveyard, this creates an eerie atmosphere because graveyards are associated with death and being creepy. When the audience first see the gates of the graveyard and the characters walking through them they are left to question why are the characters there? and what are they going to do? We have also used establishing shots throughout the opening sequence to create more of a tense atmosphere such as a pan of the graveyard in the middle, this creates a tense atmosphere because the audience have yet to find put why the characters are in the graveyard. The establishing shots of the gates and ones of the graves are used to introduce the steering to the audience. 

Another convention we have used is the use of logos and titles, throughout the opening sequence titles appear on screen interrupting the opening sequence. The titles have been put in the correct order as you would usually see them in an opening sequence. This is to make it seem more professional and to make it more of a typical opening sequence.  Even though we have used this convention we have also challenged it because the titles are bold and striking instead of being simple and small, we have done this because it fits well with our target audience which is young adults as it makes it more interesting. This is to make our opening sequence stand out and to show it isn't a mainstream horror. 

We have also included the distribution and production company at the beginning which are a  typical convention of an opening sequence. The distribution company is an independent company which shows the opening sequence won't be mainstream and a typical horror, this also links in with our titles because they are unique which goes with the company. The production company is a horror based company which shows how the opening sequence will be a horror and will be different to the others. This draws in the audience because they can tell it will be unique. 

Another convention we have challenged is the use of slow paced editing instead we have used fast paced editing. We have used a lot of jump cuts to cut between different shots, we have done this because it fits with our target audience as it draws their attention in. The use of jump cuts also creates suspense because we are jumping from different charters not yet knowing which one will be killed. We have also done this because it creates more suspense for the audience as they don't know when something is about to happen. 

Furthermore, another convention we have used is the use of close ups, we have included these because it shows the audience how the characters are feeling. Towards the end of the opening sequence close ups have been used on the three characters who have lost their friend to show how scared they are and anxious about finding their friend. Close ups have also been used to introduce the characters and for the audience to get to know them. For example when there is a close up of the girls we can tell that they are slightly more on edge and when we see a close up of the boys we can tell that they are more laid back and carefree. Close ups are typical to an opening sequence because they introduce the characters and tell the audience more about them. 

Another convention we have used is introducing the mood. This is shown through the camera shots, when the three characters are walking into the shed a hand held shot is used to show the characters through the killers eyes which creates a creepy atmosphere because the audience can tell something is about to happen. Right at the beginning of the opening sequence a sombre mood is created because we are introduced to the graveyard which is associated with death and sadness. Another shot that helps set the mood is the shots behind the graves because we are focused on them instead of the characters because they give of an scary atmosphere. This moods helps set the overall mood of the opening sequence which is dangerous and scary because we know that a death may occur and the characters will be scared. 

                            How we used genre conventions of real media text:

The horror genre has a very unique style partially due to its conventions. One first convention of the horror slasher genre is the low key lighting, the low key lighting is often made by one spot light which is usually dimmed and has no filler light as it creates more shadows. this allows for the audiences imagination to create visions which might not actually be there but also it just creates a cold and dark tone. This is prominent in the vast majority of horrors as it means the 'killer' can lurk and hide among the shadows. Finally, it also creates a unwanted mood that could make the audience un-comfortable as it looks cold, dark and a little hazy which gives off a bad atmosphere. 

This is from the new Martyrs remake.

Saw IV opening.

extremely low key lighting used in paranormal activity.

the next convention that is frequently used in Horror is there is a lot of blood and gore often just to hint at danger or death but then sometimes lots of blood as it is off putting for a lot of people. it is also used to enhance the brutality of the killer and situation.

There is a lot of blood used in piranha to scare the audience.

Scream 4

You're Next

A lot of horrors are based in or around an eerie setting. This is because it automatically links to a creepy atmosphere which his off putting for the viewer. additionally, horror films often have relatable setting such as a house but it will be made creepy due to the openness of the house leaving lots of hiding spots or corners to turn. Additionally it allows for the audience to connect to the setting and relate situations back to them such as a clown at a theme park. Directors also like to have the setting isolated as it gives the sense of loneliness and helplessness.

The cabin in the woods is a classic example of an isolated setting.

Chernobyl Diaries shows a fully derelict and lifeless urban area.

A similar setting to cabin in the woods is where Before I wake is set in, a big house with 2 people living there in the middle of no where!

The characters that we follow through the whole film are also a convention of a horror film as there is often the first victim, the leader who stays alive until the end, the girlfriend who is either taken or is left the only one standing and these are used so that the audience has a clear understanding of the situation and can relate.

The Purge shows a vulnerable woman which is typical however even though she has a gun we are scared for her showing how weak she is.

Goodnight mommy shows vulnerable children.

Typical teenagers as the main protagonists. 

Examples of conventions that we used linked with our genre (horror):

The first convention we used to do with our genre is blood. We use blood near the end of our opening sequence, to create tension and allow the audience to want to carry on watching. Blood is typically used in horror films to create a sense of fear and to add more of an insight to the storyline. It also allows the audience to feel more involved by allowing them to create the rest of the story in their head, making them feel more connected to the characters and the storyline in general.

We also use eerie music such as, crow and a ringtone sound effect to create tension and to make the audience feel on the edge of their seat. The sound effects allow the audience to feel more involved as they can actually feel like their at the setting of the graveyard. Sound effects are typically used in horror movies to create a creepy feel to the storyline and add more suspense, because if the opening sequence was just quiet without any music, it would be boring and wouldn't have the same creepy effect as it does with sound effects added. The soundtrack we used throughout the whole opening sequence is quite simple but also consists of 'jumps' throughout the whole soundtrack, allowing our sequence to have more effect on the audience. Our opening sequence breaks continuity when the 'jumps' happen in the soundtrack, this allows our sequence and the soundtrack to fit well together, allowing everything to flow.

Low-key lighting is also used in our opening sequence to add shadows and create more of a dark, scary atmosphere. If our opening sequence was bright and happy, it wouldn't have the creepy effect of being a horror opening sequence, so adding shadows and dark lighting makes it more sinister and eerie. Most horror films use low-key lighting and shadows, to create a sense of death and an extreme morbid atmosphere. 

Our titles challenge the conventions of a horror, because normally the titles are very subtle and quick. Whereas, in our opening sequence our titles are very bold and they stand out. We decided to challenge this convention of a horror because we wanted our titles to look a lot more noticeable and have more of an edgy effect to them, as we feel like this linked to our whole opening sequence a lot better. We also feel like, using bolder, darker titles will connect with our youth, as our opening sequence is targeted at teenagers, and stereotypically teenagers who hang out in graveyards have quite a dark personality, so we feel like the titles and characters, within our opening sequence link better this way.

One convention to do with horror films that we did develop was the use of typical characters. Stereotypically in horror films, they use a group of friends, normally mixed (boys and girls), and then the girls normally go off, without the boys, get chased by a serial killer and killed. We develop this, as we use two boys and two girls in our sequences, instead of using all girls/all boys, because it would have less of a scary effect if we used all the characters as the same gender. However, we challenge this convention because normally in a slasher horror, the girl goes off on her own and gets murdered, but in our sequence Aaron goes off and none of us know what happens to him. We ended on a cliff-hanger like this to create tension and to make the audience to want to carry on watching. We decided to challenge this by sending Aaron away, instead of one of the girls to make our opening sequence more interesting and different, so its not like all of the other horror opening sequences that have been created.

Lastly, we developed the use of an eerie setting by filming in a graveyard. Normally horror films are set in a dark place to create suspense and with our genre being horror, we wanted to also communicate this when creating our opening sequence. Using a creepy setting such as a graveyard portrays the theme of death, which also links in with our storyline. Our setting also links in with our titles, music and characters allowing our whole opening sequence to flow together nicely.

Construction 3 : First draft feedback

Construction 2 : Weather

On the 1st of March we filmed the rest of the middle and ending of our opening sequence. We also re-filmed some shots to a better standard. The trouble while filming last Tuesday was that it started to rain half way through filming. This was an issue for us as the rest of our opening sequence was filmed when the weather was relatively nice. Also it was very windy which made it difficult for us to record sounds, so we had to record the sound in a quiet room, which took our editing time. 

The graveyard that we filmed at was very busy, with people visiting graves. This made it more difficult for us to film as we didn't want to disrespect any visitors. Also, during our filming sessions, cars would drive past, meaning we would have to move the tripod out of the way, which then made it harder for us to get the tripod in the same position, to make the shots match up to each other.

Furthermore, we had problems with costume as Aaron didn't have the same trousers on that he was wearing for the previously shots we had taken, this made it harder for us to film shots with Aaron in them as we had to make sure they were shot from the waist up, to make sure it wasn't visible that he wasn't wearing the same trousers. This made it hard for us to film long shot go Aaron walking away, so we had to focus on doing close ups of his face instead.

Construction 1 : Filming

On February 9th, which was a Tuesday, was our first filming session where we filmed the beginning and parts of the middle. We found it fun to film but the only problem with filming in a public graveyard was the fact that people were curious as to what we were doing so a few started at us and one man asked us what project we was creating. The weather on this day was very cloudy and cold but it didn't end up raining so we got all the shots we needed.

One other problem was that we had to share the sound recorder with another group which caused complications and made us rush some parts of filming. We had two hours with the sound recorder and the other group had one, which meant we had to meet halfway during filming to give it to then, which caused us to reduce the amount of time we had for filming.

However, we got a lot filmed within these three hours we had, we just need an extra hour or two to complete the ending and then finish of editing. We have decided that our next filming dates will hopefully be after school on Thursday the 25th February, where we will finish filming the middle and possibly the ending. 

Prop Photos

The props we have decided to use are empty alcoholic bottles, a black and white back, tic tacs and a lighter. All these props represent all our character's as being very rebellious and maybe in a quite 'weird' as we are smoking and drinking in a graveyard, which many people may find disrespectful.

 The backpack is what we kept all our props in and is stereotypically representing the rebellious side of teenagers as passers by don't know what is in there. This creates a sense of fear and danger within the opening sequence.

 These props can also represent our characters as being, maybe, 'idiotic' for smoking and drinking, in general, but also doing it in a graveyard as people may find that disrespectful but teenagers are known to not care and go and do it anyway. 

Costume Photos

My costume consists of a grey dress, a black coat and black shoes. I chose this dress because it's very casual whilst also being smart, as my character is a well-dressed teenager. Her costume contrasts with her personality and her actions, as she's drinking and taking drugs in a graveyard. This gives my character more of an interesting story to tell and it allows the audience to interpret their own ideas towards how they feel towards my character.

Ciara's costume is made up of a leather-look skirt, a white top, a black coat and black shoes, Ciara's character is also a very well-dressed teenager, whose actions and personality contrasts with what she's wearing. Her character is a lot more quiet and just goes with the flow. We decided for Ciara and I to wear more simplistic clothing as it shows the girl's are a lot more innocent, despite the activites they do of smoking and drinking in a graveyard.

Michael's character is very into drinking and doing drugs in a graveyard and to show this, in many scenes, he's drinking, playing with a lighter and handing the other character's drugs. His costume is black jeans, trainers with a coat and a hoodie. Michael's character always has his hood up which can show he has a dark side and isn't like the stereotypical innocent teenager.


Aaron's character is also very similar to Michael's, as he likes to drink and take drugs in creepy settings, like graveyards. He dresses very casual, wearing jeans, a hoodie and a scarf. His character is very mysterious and likes to do his own thing and experience things by himself.