Research and Planning - Filming Schedule

Research and Planning - Filming Diary

Today my group and I started on the first bit of filming, Matt was unable to attend so we just kept the filming to a minimum and took shots of the establishing shot and our location. I will be uploading these photos onto my blog in the next couple of days. The next time we are planning on starting to film will be on Tuesday 17th.

Research and Planning - Soundtrack Research (non-copyright music)

My group and I had previously spoken about composing our own non-copyright music on cubase. However, we are also looking into non-copy right music sites incase we change our minds, we will not know exactly what we will go with until we have filmed our teaser trailer, as we will need to see which goes better with each shot/scene etc.

Here I have found some free play non- copy right music, that we would be able to play over our teaser trailer. We have previously used the following webiste:

Research and Planning - Script

Below I have created a rough outline of the script that we will be using however, as we are filming a teaser trailer we may have to cut out a few of the lines to make it all fit together and also as we are planning on having a voice over we may not need as much dialogue.
(Emma and Matt's eyes meet as they see eachother on the station platform)

(Emma sits down on the chair)

(Matt walks towards Emma and sits down on the chair next to Emma)

Matt: Hi there
Emma: Err Hi, sorry but I couldn't help but notice you were staring at me

Matt: (looks a little akward) I couldn't help but not notice your natural beauty

Emma: (Smiles and laughs) thank you

Matt: Sorry i've embarressed you, it's not everyday that I'll come across someone so beautiful

(Emma does a nervous laugh)

Matt: It would kill me if I didn't get your number
Emma: Yeah ok, sure (writes down  number)

(Matt get's his phone out)
Matt: I'll text you
(Emma walks towards an alley way leading towards the woods)

(Matt texts Emma saying 'get home ok? x')

(Emma replies to the text 'Yes I did thanks x')

(Emma notice's Matt standing outside her house)

Emma: Er hey, how did you know where i live? Come in...

Matt: Oh thanks I will, I brought you some flowers

Emma: Take a seat in here, I'll just be a second

(Emma is on the phone to a friend)

Emma: You will never believe it, I met a guy and he's so nice, you will never guess how i met him

Emma: Yeah I think I am starting to fall for him, but yeah I guess it is early days

(Emma drops phone)

Emma: AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

(Matt walks towards a girl who is starting to walk up the alley way, she drops her keys as their eyes meet)

(Matt and the girl bend down at the same time to pick up the keys, their eyes meet again but this time for longer)

Girl: Errr thanks

Matt: No problem

Research and Planning - Checklist #3

Research

• Soundtrack research (non copyright music)
• Costume and location research
• Actors and props photos
• Audience Research (typical audience member and similar films)
• Uploaded YouTube videos of teaser trailers and titles analysed in detail
• Upload YouTube videos of similar genre films analysed in detail
• Institution research (Paramount etc)
• Certificate research
• Font research for magazine/poster etc
• Film Magazines researched and analysed
• Teaser posters researched and analysed

Planning

• Own film idea brainstorm
• Own film treatment
• Shot lists
• Questionnaire (and feedback)
• Photos etc of filming
• Diary of filming/editing etc with photos and screen grabs
• Mood board
• Storyboard - prezi
• Script
• Practice titles created and uploaded

Research and Planning - Question 5 Results

Results for question 5;

By looking at these results, it surprised me that people prefer a stereo typical character, where as I thought that someone new and unpredictable in a horror film, would have an audience more intrigued and amused as the character would be new to them, and the audience would be drawn to what they may do.

Research and Planning - Question 4 Results

Results to question 4;

This was a clear choice in the what people want. The main attraction of a horror film is that you become scared, I feel that people find things based on true events more scary and so therefore wish to watch them more as they are realistic, than other more unrealistic films.

Research and Planning - Question 3 Results

Results for question 3;

Seeing from the results, it shows that the results are mutual. However, we will not be doing our camera footage as hand held, due to the type of teaser trailer and plot line that we have chosen to produce. I personally find hand held footage frightening because of the realistic edge and so people find this more relatable to themselves putting them into the film.

Research and Planning - Question 2 Results

Results for question 2;

 

Our teaser trailer we plan to be a mix between a romance aspect and horror. shown in the results a large percentage say that they would indeed prefer to watch a horror film mixed with another genre. This good news for us as we to wish to combine our teaser trailer genre. I think people prefer this because it is not constantly tense and waiting for something to happen, but dramatic scenes seem more intense but again the audience are allowed to breathe through some of the film.

Research and Planning - Question 1 Results

Results for question 1;

Our first question we decided whether to ask if a teaser trailer could influence the audience into going to see a horror film. Looking at the results on our graph, the immediate response would be yes. I think this is due to the intense mood set that forces audiences attention and engages them in the story lines. Lots of information allows the audience to respond in a curious way making them want to know more about the film and therefore go and research it or at least create awareness of the film itself.

Research and Planning - How Woods Can Create Affect In Horror Films

As my group and I have decided to do some of our filming in a wood scene and down alley ways, I felt it would be appropriate to look at how woodland areas have been used in horror films to create the nail biting and heart racing atmospheres, that a horror loving audience set out to experience. I have watched the following horror films where I have discovered each had a wood element to it and then discussed it below.


The Strangers:




The Strangers is most probably one of the scariest films I have ever watched. The strangers manages to terrify their audience with the impeccable timing, eerie sounds and twisted characters and this is exactly what happened to me the first time when I watched the film. The Strangers is truly horrifying and purely because it is so realistic, where there is no happy ending, which makes it a stereotypical horror film, with it's supernatural element and when someone dies they stay dead. The woods isolate the victims, no where left to run flashes through the audiences head as they figure out this is where the events are set. The film is entirely shot through the night and so the darkness really give the ominous feel to the woods, making this the perfect place for the murderers to hide away.

In conclusion woods really do play a significant role in setting the mood for horror film and can help effect the audience's expectation and opinion of the film and effect the way they approach the film. I feel that this is something that we have to get right when filming our scenes in the woods for our trailer.

Research and Planning - Characters

Emma is our hopeless victim, she was chosen for the role as she has a feminine voice and can play the role of the victim very well. She plays the stereotypical girl who becomes the target of a obsessed male, we have made sure her costume and actions represent the sterotypical role Emma will be playing. For example, Emma will become alarmed at first but then dismiss his actions, however, she will start to worry more as the trailer goes on. This is a comventional feature in a horror trailer. Simalrities to Brittany Snow who plays a young, vunerable victim lusted over by a stalker are her age and physical appearance.



Matt will be the stalker in the teaser trailer. Matt was chosen for the role as he is a A level drama student so can therefore perform a realistic and dramatic performance. He was also chosen as he fits the role of what we were looking for; the same age as Emma and looks rather unassuming. We will make sure his costume and actions represent that of normal guy who starts off as someone Emma would like but then quickly realises he is not the guy for her. We will make sure the soundtrack also plays behind many of matts scenes so that the audience pick up on the darkness of matts character.

Research and Planning - The Chosen Questions For Our Horror Teaser Trailer Questionnaire

Here Kate, Sarah and I decided to research further into our research and planning on horror teaser trailers and have decided to conduct a questionnaire as to the effectiveness of teaser trailers and the audience. Below I have attached the questions that we will be asking;

1. Do Teaser Trailers influence you to whatch the whole film?

2. Do you Enjoy Horror mixed with other genres?

3. Do you find handheld footage such as Paranormal Activity more frightening than formal film footage?

4. Do you find horror films based on true events scary?

5. Do you like stereotypical characters in horror films?