Hello! My name is Laura and this is my blog tracking my AS Media Coursework from 2022-2023. I specifically researched film openings and the film industry, and applied my research into my own production. I collaborated with Sasha on this project.
I tracked my research of conventions, audience, genre, terms, and industry through multimedia, as well as logging the process of pre and during production. My experimentation and finalising of the opening is seen through the various edits and rough cuts, as well as further experience I gained extra-curricularly. These are all linked on the side of my blog, and categorised so they can be easily found.
I have studied Media since GCSE and am very passionate about film. I hope to become a film director one day, and have made short films for competitions, as well as working on film sets and film festivals. I also study Drama, Art and English Literature for A-Level, and enjoy theatre, books, and arts as well as having an interest in politics and global issues.
Films I analysed:
Throughout the year, I analysed various film openings, looking for general conventions, the trailer playlist is embedded below:
The playlist below contains the trailers of the horror genre openings I have analysed:
This is my final cut for my slasher film the "The Trees Have Eyes".
The soundtrack features a cover of "Killer Queen", and the main title is downloaded from dafont.com in the style "nightside". The film was produced by L48 Films and Skyscraper Productions, and presented by New Heights Films, with help from the BFI and Film4.
Changes made since last rough cut:
- Adjusted volume in voyeurism shots
- Made the wind in the forest even
- Made the snap less loud
- Added an echo to the snap
- Removed a glitch in the locker scene
- Removed a fan noise in the locker scene and added foley footsteps
- Removed a turning shot in the forest scene
- Varied title positions
- Added a glitch to the titles
- Separated the written and directed credits
- Changed "releasing" to "films"
- Changed the font of the first company credits
- Changed the font on the producer names
- Reduced the sound of the external bell
- Added length to the worms eye shot
- Changed "New Heights Releasing"(distributor) to presents
- Separated producer and support titles
- Switched around titles, (casting-starrting-introducing)
- Added earthquake effect to main title
- Added B&W clip of burial scene to create a flashback effect
- Added music (Friday the 13th inspired)
- Switched shovel cross cut with zoomed out body shot
Playlist of sample scenes:
Playlist of rough cuts:
Throughout the sample scenes and rough cuts, certain elements were changed such as the intended match in action of the dirt covering to the locker opening. The full detail is seen in my sample scene and rough cut posts.
Audience Feedback:
I alsocollected audience feedback, seen in the playlist above, to adapt the opening better and understand the audience's opinions in order to achieve my preferred reading.
EVALUATION Q1a: How Does Your Product Use Or Challenge Conventions?
To summarise this question in a creative way, I decided to replicate Vogue's Beauty Secrets series. Instead of naming the makeup product, I used it to represent the various elements and conventions.
Here is my general film opening conventions vodcast from my earlier on in my blog:
Here is my slasher genre conventions vodcast from my earlier on in my blog:
The general genre films I have looked at are:
The slashergenre films I have looked at are:
Below is a summary of the points I have discussed in my video, as well as an illustration of these convention applications in my opening:
Narrative: The following theories I analysed can be applied: Barthes' narrative enigma, Todorov's 5-Part Narrative, Katz and Blumler's Uses and Gratifications theory
Narrative Enigma is defined as the intentional withholding of exposition in order to create mystery and suspense. This is seen in my opening as there are establishing shots revealing the town but exposition is still withheld. As we meet Marion and Norman, they reveal exposition through dialogue, and narrative enigma on who the killer is remains through the opening. In the locker scene, exposition is also revealed through dialogue. The costumes reveal the archetype and personalities of the characters
Todorov's 5-Part Narrative:
The structure followed by all narratives, my post is linked here.
In my opening:
Equilibrium- Setting the scene through the hand of god and street scene
Disruption- Snapping twigs, a disruptive element
Recognition- Marion realising there is a noise and someone could be watching them
Attempt to resolve- Marion sends Norman to check, Marion calling Norman to find him
New equilibrium- The girls in school realising Marion is missing
Escapism: An audience world escape into my film because it's fictional (non-realistic) so people can watch this for pleasure. Horror is also a cathartic entertainment form as people view it in order to alleviate fears they have and feel control over them. Personal Identity The targetaudience (teenagers male and female) can identify with the characters in this film such as the final girl and thescream queens/jock. They are relatable as a teenager by wearing make up, doing teenage activities, being a school student etc...This would also be relatable to an older audience, as they once were school students.
EVALUATION Q1b - HOW DOES IT REPRESENT SOCIAL GROUPSOR ISSUES?
In this post I will be giving many examples of representations in existing films in the slasher genre and referencing how they have influenced my media product. For a creative approach I have decided to make a parody of the TV Show "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" with me playing the role of the theories as the "housewives".
I couldn't find a compilation similar to my video, but the confessional set-up is seen in the video below:
The presentation below illustrates how the theories and representations were applied in my opening:
EVALUATION Q2a - HOW DOES YOUR PRODUCT ENGAGE WITH AUDIENCES?
"Perceptions of the requirements of the target market, whether it is audiences or middlemen like distributors, exert a profound influence on film content and the film types from which content is drawn."
- Blood Money by Richard Nowell (ch1. p27)
In this post I will discuss the key points about audiences, as well as the slasher audience. I will explain the target audience for my film and how my product engages with my specific audience.
For a creative approach, I have made a parody of WIRED's Autocomplete Interview, where I answer questions about my new film. My script is based off of the points I have made below.
I have analysed various audience theories; the hypodermic needle, Katz and Blumler's Uses and Gratifications (UGT), Hall's Reception Theory, the four-quadrant,and O'Reilly's Web 2.0.
EVALUATION Q2b: HOW WOULD YOUR PRODUCT BE DISTRIBUTED?
In this post I will be giving many examples of distribution in existing films and referencing how they have influenced my media product.
What is distribution?
In my presentation embedded below, I explain distribution, self-distribution, the impact of Web 2.0(O'Reilly), different types of distribution, and how my film would be distributed.
My main points are summarised below:
To present my industry knowledge, I made a parody of the US TV quiz show "Jeopardy", where my mum plays the presenter and I play the role of the contestant. I made the quiz using the template on jeopardylabs.com.
Being picked up by a big 5 distributor like Universal is highly unlikely for a low-budget slasher production. As it is a slasher, it is very easy to make a film into a franchise, so if my film is successful, there is a chance for my film to be picked up by a big 5 company later on. The limited appeal for a distributor is due to lack of A-List stars, previously established IP, and no 3D/IMAX scope which creates commercial appeal.
My likely rating would be a BBFC 15, as I have included limited swearing, sexual violence, and visual gore, which is the requirement on their website. As seen in my previous box office analysis embedded above, they do tend to be harsher on indie films compared to higher budget films (WARP vs WT). I think that the scope for four-quadrant representation makes my film appealable, and could become a mass-market blockbuster (Elberse). A film like Halloween (1978) is comparable to mine, due to the low budget, unknown cast, and no franchise, but was a box office hit and created a large film franchise.
A key element to marketing my film would be social media, such as tiktok, that can have videos easily go viral and create buzz for my film, as well as interact with the primary target audience. I think that downloadable posters (i.e Le Donk and Scor-Zay-Zee) would give an extra boost as well, but the film festival circuit would be the ideal marketing tool to receive critical acclaim and create buzz.
In conclusion, I think an international distributor like Lionsgate, with previous deconstructionist takes on slasher like The Cabin In The Woods would be the ideal choice. It is a mini-major studio, which means it is not as difficult to achieve distribution such as a big 5 like Universal, but is still well known with wide appeal. Realistically, I think a distributor like StudioCanal (formally Optimum Releasing) would be the most likely, as they have previously worked in low budget horror like Eden Lake, and indie films produced by the company Warp.
EVALUATION Q3: HOW DID YOUR PRODUCTION SKILLS DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT?
In this post, I will be discussing how I have developed my production skills throughout the year. I will discuss the practice exercises and what I have learnt from them, as well as elements in the production process that I can improve for next year.
I created a Youtube series called "Laura's Tech Tips", similar to a channel like the one below.
I have used this series as past of Eval Q3 and 4, as well as for my tutorials.
The points I discuss are summarised below:
Preliminary Exercise:
The task required having 2 characters, filming outside of and including a door, engaging in conversation in a shot reverse shot sequence and maintaining the 180 degree rule, including over 20 shots, using narrative enigma within the story.
I created a basic shot list with my class and small script. We also created the two characters of a director and actor as the Proppianhero and villain, but slightly blurred their roles. We had previously practiced shot types in the exercise seen below.
HOW DID YOU INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGIES (SOFTWARE, HARDWARE, AND ONLINE) IN THIS PROJECT?
Throughout this year I have used various kinds of software and hardware. The software are all the programs that I used to create my film and to work with Sasha, and hardware is the actual computers, cameras and technologies I have used.
To summarise this post I have filmed a "Whats In My Bag" style video to describe the technologies I used.
My script is based off the points below:
Web 2.0:
Web 2.0 (O'Reilly), explains how the internet is driven by users through digitisation and technological accessibility, disrupting industries and converging the lines between producer and consumer (prosumer). Web 2.0 moves from a top-down model like the hypodermic needle and creates a two- way flow. User Generated Content (UGC) is an example of this, as consumers produce content that they feel is not gratifying (UGT) their needs. Engaging with audiences and being able to directly promote and upload content allows indie companies to have a greater success and not rely on the traditional theatrical distribution.
Digitisation, Disruption and Convergence: As technology develops, production, distribution, and exhibition are becoming more affordable and accessible, as anyone is able to create content, such as me and Sasha that used simple and accessible technologies to create our film.
This simplification of technology creates a convergence; the line between producer and consumer blurs and they are an active audience (prosumers). Self-distribution is also an easier option due to streaming and uploading platforms, (Youtube, Vimeo).
Digitisation is the process of changing from analog to digital form, for example, the process of changing from VHS to DVD is a form of digitisation. The accessible technologies makes filming easier without having to go through a film studio.
This means that a film like ours with a micro-budget, is more likely to receive distribution. The indie company Warp's film Le Donk and Scor-Zay-Zee (2009) is an example of this, as it has a micro-budget (48k), but received a theatrical trailer and a straight-to-dvd release.
This threatens conglomerates, such as Universal, and it's subsidiaryWorking Title, but benefits indie producers and companies like Warp as the budget and distributors are no longer hindering the success of a film.
The disruption caused by streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon, means that films are released directly to consumers without having theatrical releases. These films are massively successful, but threaten theatres as there is less need for people to go to the cinema. Because of this, many films use IMAX/3D/4DX technologies and capitalise on franchises in order to attract audiences to the theatres.
Hardware:
For the practice exercise and the preliminary exercise seen below, I practised using a DSLR camera; the SONY Alpha 58, and saved and exported the files using an SD card.
I decided to film my opening on a smartphone (the apple iphone11) since:
- They are compact and light, making them easily portable
- They were easier to use for our burial/dirt covering shot as well as the locker opening
- They have a good image quality
- There are many accessories (lenses, camera stabilisers, tripod extensions, microphones) that are built for them and also compact and easily portable.
I also used it to film the audience feedback for the same reasons.
I used various tripods:
In order from left to right:
1. The amazon tripod with a pan handle: this was frequently used as it is the most stable and the pan handle is easily to use
2. The amazon tripod with a pistol grip
3. The Manfrotto tripod: this was the easiest to transport as it is the lightest, but it wasn't as stable as the others
4. The NEEWER tripod: this was my favourite as it had the most stability, and I was able to make precise adjustments
We used a monopod, which ishand-held and easy to use for the tracking shots.
Finally, I used a tripod dolly during my preliminary exercise, which I found easy to use, but as we were shooting in the forest, the unstable ground meant I couldn't use it.
tripod dolly
monopod
To edit, I used my MacBook Pro, and a LaCie portable 2TB hard drive to keep my libraries and clips.
I practiced using a green screen as well, as we have one in the media class. and it was easy to assemble and use. I created an audience survey using this. My full post is linked here.
Finally, I used the VideoBlog MIC Lav, I found this very easy to use and lightweight so I could bring it with me to shoot. The iPhone connecting cable was also helpful as I could use my phone to record the files and upload them directly onto OneDrive.
Software:
Final Cut Pro (FCPX)
I used my MacBook Pro and FinalCutPro X to edit all my Vodcasts and the final cut.
I have been using FCPX for the past 3 years, as I did the IGCSE media course and working part time at a radio station or for editing my own short films. Here is my tutorial on the basic uses of FCPX:
When editing the forest scene I used the Day into Night effect and changed the colour, saturation and exposure:
To avoid doing this each time, we created a custom filter and applied it onto all of our clips.
Sasha also used FCPX in the creation of our animated title.
GarageBand:
I used GarageBand for the non-diegetic music for my ident, and I selected the synth instruments and found a preset I liked. I found it easy to use for this, but Sasha created the rest of the music for the opening as she is faster at using the software.
Blogger:
This was my first time using blogger, but I found it very easy to use once I got the hang of it. I found it to be a great resource as I could easily access all my work and it was easy to embed any documents, and I used the columns and tags to find my posts easily. The archive also helped to keep track of the process through the year.
Below is my tutorial for the blogger basics:
Youtube:
I used Youtube to share my videos and upload them in case something happened to my hard drive. This also meant I was able to share anything with Sasha quickly, as well as the other media students so we could give each other feedback on our cuts.
To view videos and screen record I used theQuicktime Player andVLC apps.
Communication:
I usedsocial medialike Snapchatto keep the cast updated. I used this as well as Teams with Sasha to communicate as we could share larger files, and we were usually working from our computers. Using Outlook we were able to share the script with each other, as well as making physical copies of the script which we
workshopped together.
File Sharing:
I made a folder on OneDrive where we uploaded everything from our shoots in order to access it individually at a high quality. We also kept them on here in case we lost the files. This was useful when I lost the library for the forest scene and reedited using the files on OneDrive.
Websites used:
- Prezi and Scribd to present and embed documents to the blog
- IMDB, BoxOfficeMojo, the-numbers.com, Wikipedia, artofthetitle for film research and the opening analysis
- The Guardian media and film section for industry research
- Dafont.com for the main title font
- Picsart for image editing
Below is a link to the playlist containing the YouTube editing tutorials I have watched this year:
For the past two years, I have been volunteering at the British and Irish Film Festival in Luxembourg, which takes place every September. This year I was also able to help out at the March edition of the festival.
Through the BIFF, I have been able to discover many films I wouldn't have normally gone to see, especially many Irish ones we often don't have access to in Luxembourg, which I care to see as they help me connect to my Irish identity. I've also been able to meet many volunteers with similar interests to me, and these connections have helped me in accessing job interviews, and having a better understanding of the local industry.
Below are our changes made after receiving feedback on ourfifth rough cut.
- Reshot my ident (L48 Films), created a time-lapse and added music from GarageBand
- Remade ident for New Heights Films
- Changed sound of bells and made them quieter
- Added eerie singing (recreation of Cherry Falls)
- Made the linking words smaller for all titles
- Made all titles equally sized
- Reedited hand of god
- Added a town name, recreated small town reading of Cherry Falls (2000)
- Added a bell to denote the outside of a school
- Added titles from beginning
- Improved title fade
- Made titles appear longer
- Changed placement of titles to be more central and not get cut out on different devices (used tile safe zones on FCPX)
- Added additional water shot for a better transition and recreation of Cherry Falls (2000)
- Faded Friday The 13th music for a better transition
- Added second director credit at the end of opening titles
- Added foley sound of drinking (also serves as an audio-bridge)
- Added a voiceover for Norman as the speech was unclear
- Separated makeup and costume credits
- Fixed running speed
- Remade foley footsteps
- Switched bird sounds to owls in the forest to denote nighttime
- Remade snapping sound and added an echo
- Made speech volumes louder
- Reduced volume of foley sounds
- Added cross-cuts of burial scene (using earthquake effect on FCPX, transformed to distort), the red lighting and static sound effect are used to clearly separate the two scenes, inspired by opening of Eden Lake (2008)
- Changed phone sound to the default Apple ringtone for verisimilitude
- Animated main title (done by Sasha)
- Added phone ringing to main title, similar to Scream (1996)
- Added singing of "Killer Queen" to locker scene
- Added locker scene foley sound
- Voiceover for locker scene as there was a background droning sound in the original
Below are our changes made after receiving feedback on our fourth rough cut.
- Isolated bells for the audio-bridge
- Changed linking words for all titles to a sans-serif font to highlight names
- Made titles less stretched out
- Changed wording (title convention), shows main producer and co-producers, as well as removing "distributed by" as it's not conventional wording for titles
- Added foley sound for opening shots
- Merged both mine and Sasha's names in order to have one director credit
- Added a fade to the titles so they don't appear as suddenly
- Isolated titles and credits
- Added forest foley sound and snapping
- Removed ELS of Marion screaming at the tree (comic effect creating an oppositional reading)
- Kept phone ringing and changed audio levels
- Removed burial scene
- Added slo-mo on final screaming shot
- Added water drips and static to the main title
- Removed second written and directed credit (was meant to be added in initial titles)
- Removed "the next day" from locker scene
- Edited locker scene lighting
Here is the written feedback we received from the other media students:
- Opening bells are too loud
- Make hand of godfoley sound quieter
- Linking words are still too large
- Fade Friday The 13th music
- Start the titles from the opening
- Remove cigarette shot (verisimilitude broken as she breaks it)
- Makeup and costume should be separately credited
- Titles should be smaller
- Make sure all titles are identical (size, font, tracking, spacing)
- Slow running more
- Remake foley sound of footsteps
- Turn down noises of the birds, sounds like the middle of the day
- Add more sounds to main title
- Add movement to main title
- Play scream over main title
- Cross-cut "Norman" screaming with burial scene shots
