Jelly Babies

Introduction;

In preparation of our horror film introduction we went of into different groups with people we have never really worked, just to try something new. We then had to create four different scenes that we thought were typically used in a horror film, only using sugar patch kids or jelly babies, we were also allowed to use what ever else we was able to find around the class room. When making these four different scenes we had to keep in mind the horror film conventions such as setting, sound, props, characters' and camera angles. My group and myself all agreed that we thought a forest was an good idea for a setting as that is where majority of horror films lead out to just before the killing.

 

Setting;

When horror films come to mind you instantly think dark places such as; alley ways, abandoned houses, woods, houses by a lake etc... majority of the time these are set at night because of the tension or suspense it would create for the audience. This is what my group and myself attempted to show, within this scene there are a group of friends (yellow, red and green jelly babies) that are walking through the woods, what they don't know is they are being followed by someone else, (the black jelly baby). In this scene my group and myself was trying to portray setting by using the things the make up the Horror film convention. To show a good use of setting we drew trees on the background and then made little bushes out of paper clips. With a green book for the greenery. 

 

Characters';

In a horror film there are many characters that help make up a film, so it is easy for the audience to identify who they are. Typically there is a blonde, the innocent one, the jokey the killer and the hoe. This is exactly what we was showing in this scene but we used it with the jelly babies by colour to so that we could portray Mis En Scene, demonstrating what we know about the conventions. In this scene we used the black jelly baby as the bad guy because black is signified as evil and demonic then you see him standing over the yellow jelly baby, that was signifying the blonde as blondes are known to be dumb and tad bit stupid causing them to die first with red blood oozing out. Then you see the red and the green continuing with their journey non the wiser to what had just taken place as they stayed on route and didn't wonder off. This is how my group and my self showed characters through the use of this scene.

 

Sound;

Sound is noise that is exaggerated sound it helps build tension within  a film. Fast loud sound can add a lot to making the audience jump or be scared. In this scene we had diegetic sound and non-diegetic sound. We used diegetic sound as the red one being killed so they are screaming out for help then drew music notes on the white board as non-diegetic as the extra background music that builds the tension to make the audience scared. 

Props;

In this shot type we used the green one as the innocent one, the last and only survivor. The green jelly baby is standing next to a white rock,  we specifically made it white to show the purity within, that because they was smart enough to find the safety cave they was able to survive. We used a bowl to create this effect. 

Observation

Introduction;

I have learnt a lot from watching a variety of examples from previous horror film introductions. I've been able to see how they use camera shot types, editing, different sound effect as well as also including Mis en scene. From all four of these transitions I have seen what can help me produce an high quality horror film introduction as well as knowing what is not needed because of the bad grade I will receive.

Camera shot types;

From watching the camera type shots that have been used within all the opening film introduction I have seen that you can't have an effective film towards the target audience unless you have a vary of shot types. For example one film introduction from past students was not able to have a vary of shot types they included the most common such as; mid shot, close up, tracking shot. However because they did not vary and try different things instead of what they know it was very limited, because there was more that needed to be done to create the effect they wanted they only through in random shot types this mad it even less effective that what it should of been. From this I understand that without shot types you can not have the effective film introduction that you want, so it would be good to vary so that you can build tension and have the audience jumping in their seats.

 Another example of good use of camera is being able to hold it properly, sometimes the camera can be unsteady at the wrong times and it make the filming not look very good. For example another past horror film introduction, they had an unsteady camera for tracking shot and point of view which was very effective because it created that feeling that you are apart of the film however there was unsteady camera where it wasn't needed at all for example when the two characters were have a conversation they were sitting down the camera was shaking this was ineffective because it sort of stood out from the film you could notice it a lot, so it didn't help build the tension they was attempting to achieve.

Editing;

Editing is what ties the whole film together, without editing you wouldn't be able to edit certain images with sound as well as using other types to make the meaning of the horror film introduction clear. This was used very well in past horror film, the pace was smooth and steady not to fast and not to slow, at the beginning of the scene it was blurry to create that demonic effect to allow the audience to know that the character a past pupil was playing was possessed or not all together, as well as having a child's nursery rhyme playing in the background, this straight away made me scared because when you hear those type of things such as nursery rhymes, Chucky and The Conjuring come to mind. This is feeling effecting being it is bringing an disorientated effect and it building tension allowing you to think that something or someone is coming. This is what the group used with their use of including music. The pace of the introduction was steady and calm, it wasn't rushed and fast like what most people think a horror film should be. By the pace being normal and not to fast it helped add that scary effect.

1. Chucky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kOf7pI7Ue4
2. The Conjuring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGCTYiQtupM

Mis en scene;

Mis en scene is used to create an effect to fit the convention of the Horror film introduction. It is what the film is based around because it includes so many things such as costume, lighting and setting. Basically everything within the scene. I saw this used in a very good way. In the past group they was able to show their use of Mis en scene, costume was very good for example; the girl was playing the character of a ghost being nice to children so they portrayed this allowing her to wear white this showed that she was trying to make the child think that was she was kind and only wanted to be her friend then when she took the little girls soul she was wearing black, this is showing that is no longer innocent and she only done it to let the little girl think she is. I find this really good they thought deeply into it using costume because a lot of people don't do that. This is something I have learnt which I would of been oblivious to if I did not see it in a previous film introduction. it was very effective and I think I would definitely use this when creating my own.

 

Sound;

Sound helps add the extra effect that has the audience jumping in their seats. Music or any sound type has that scary effect without any dialogue. Sound by itself has the same effect or even more than dialogue by itself. The same group included sound as well to build tension when she walked away with the child out of the park there was low music which started to get louder and louder and then the bid crash landing when the girl died the music got to its highest by this taking place it created that big scare cliff hanger that would make the audience want more than they receive. This is something I will also use when I start making my own film. Mis en scene plays a big part and without it, there wouldn't be a successful horror film.

 

Fallen angel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie1suAem3ic&safe=active

 

 

Breakdown sheet for shooting

BREAKDOWN SHEET FOR SHOOTING

 

Storyboard scene number: 1

Date:                                                                                                               Time: 4:30 - 6:00 pm

Setting: A Bedroom                                                                                     Location: A House

Crew members and roles: 

1. Katrina - Camera

2. Shariece - Make up

3. Everyone is in charge of their own costume 

4. Sephora - Lighting

5. Katrina, Sephora and myself are in charge of editing

Cast members: 

1. Shariece

2. Sephora 

3. Katrina

4. Echarel

5. Joanne

6. Kyle

7. Devell

8. Tyrone

9. Taj

Extras: 

1. Katrina

2. Sephora

3. Echarel

4. Joanne

5. Devell

6. Tyrone

7. Taj

Wardrobe: Party clothes (Everyone does their own)

 

Make-up:

1. Eye-liner

2. Mascara

3. Foundation

4. Lip stick

 

Props: None

 

Special effects: Flashing lights

Potential problems and how you’re going to overcome them: One problem that would occur is where the setting and location will be because of our parents' we are conflicted as to who's house to do it in.

Another problem is the time schedule that everyone will have because we all go to different college's and we all have different time tables it will be hard to work around it.

 

 

Storyboard scene number: 3

Date:                                                                                                               Time: 4:30 - 6:00 pm

Setting: The Woods                                                                                     Location: Clapham

Crew members and roles: 

1. Katrina - Camera

2. Shariece - Make up

3. Everyone is in charge of their own costume 

4. Sephora - Lighting

5. Katrina, Sephora and myself are in charge of editing

Cast members: 

1. Shariece

2. Sephora 

3. Katrina

4. Echarel

5. Joanne

6. Kyle

7. Devell

8. Tyrone

9. Taj

Extras: 

1. Katrina

2. Sephora

3. Echarel

4. Joanne

5. Devell

6. Tyrone

7. Taj

Wardrobe: Party clothes

 

Make-up:

1. Eye-liner

2. Mascara

3. Foundation

4. Lip stick

 

Props: None

Special effects: None

Potential problems and how you’re going to overcome them: As we are filming this clip in the woods it will be hard to find the correct type of lighting to show the effect we want or so that the characters can be seen properly.

 

 

 

Storyboard scene number: 10

Date:                                                                                                               Time: 4:30 - 6:00 pm

Setting: The Woods                                                                                     Location: Clapham

Crew members and roles: 

1. Katrina - Camera

2. Shariece - Make up

3. Everyone is in charge of their own costume 

4. Sephora - Lighting

5. Katrina, Sephora and myself are in charge of editing

Cast members: 

1. Shariece

2. Kyle

Extras: No extras in this clip

Wardrobe: Party clothes

 Make-up:

1. Eye-liner

2. Mascara

3. Foundation

4. Lip stick

 

Props: Fake Blood

Special effects: None

Potential problems and how you’re going to overcome them: It would be difficult when adding the fake blood and attempting the death look real, to make the introduction have the affect we want on the target audience.

 

Animatic Feedback

As a part of my preparation for my Horror film, we set a task where we had to create an Animatic. An animatic is a short presentation or video completed used via drawn pictures and sound effects. We drew out every seen from our horror, all the important details and added information to the back such as where , when, how and why etc... When this was done we uploaded to each of out individual YouTube accounts and then showed are final piece to the rest of the class so that we could get feedback on what we done well as what could be done even better. One pupil named Joana had said that the sound we used to support each image was excellent because it matched so well it emphasised it even though it was a still im age, this feedback had a really positive impact as it helped me know that I used the technology in the right way. Another student called Chantelle said that we had included a variety of shots, like we said when sharing out ideas, and that this showed we knew the terminology showing good understanding towards the course. Fernada and another student called Luke said exactly the same thing they both agreed that the  Animatic was both good and straight forward. They also included at the end that  you can clearly see it is an opening for a Horror film. I took on board all these comments to know how to show all the feedback in the actual making of the horror film introduction. 

Click here to view my Animatic.