Applying sound to our movie

We downloaded sound effects and background sounds to our movie using Garage band, first by downloading the relevant tracks to itunes and imported them to to Adobe Premiere Pro. We first discussed which sound would fit in with which clip without it seeming unconventional, cliche or awkward to cut. The fade tool was very useful in creating are soundtrack as we wanted it to seem as smoothe as possible. None of us had used the sound software so it did take a while to get the hang of it, we debated which sound loops where most suited as there where multiple for each mood. Although it was tricky we managed to complete it in a decent time, although we did take longer in a certain scene where the victim (Izzy) gets taken. We where unsure if we should use a scream as a recognition to her friends that she has been murdered, or the attackers voice or even the dropping of weapons. We branched out on other free sites for a better variety of choice but and when applying each to the clip, we realised that the only realistic scream was too long, the dropping of a weapon sounded like it was inside the cabin rather then out but the sound loop of the killer laughing at his sick antics, really fit the scene well. We used an acoustic sound to be used at the start of the sequence inside the cabin when everything seems fine, making it light hearted, sweet and innocent, but the classical scent made it have a creepy twist.

blogger font

I have had problems with making all my fonts the same on blogger, they are all supposed to be Courier, font size Normal but unfortunately they are not matching.  

Making Titles

As we found Livetype to be very slow to use we attempted to use 'Adobe After Effects'. First we found a website that would help us with a distinctive template called 'ae templates', we downloaded a suitable file that related to the genre of are film, with horror related text and quirky format. When importing the file on after effects it was very unclear on what we needed to do next. We tried to watch a tutorial on Youtube but we found it incredibly complex, so we decided to stick to Livetype and agreed to stay at lunch time/free periods and after school to ensure the titles where up to the standards we expected at this time.

Horror research: Conventions

Horror Films are unsettling films designed to frighten and panic, cause dread and alarm, and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. Horror films effectively center on the dark side of life, the forbidden, and strange and alarming events. They deal with our most primal nature and its fears: our nightmares, our vulnerability, our alienation, our revulsion's  our terror of the unknown, our fear of death and dismemberment, loss of identity, or fear of sexuality.

Whatever dark, primitive, and revolting traits that simultaneously attract and repel us are featured in the horror genre. Horror films are often combined with science fiction when the menace or monster is related to a corruption of technology, or when Earth is threatened by aliens. The fantasy and supernatural film genres are not synonymous with the horror genre, although thriller films may have some relation when they focus on the revolting and horrible acts of the killer/madman. Horror films are also known as chillers, scary movies, spookfests, and the macabre. See also Scariest Film Moments and Scenes (illustrated) - from many of the Greatest Horror Films ever made, Best Film Death Scenes (illustrated), and Three Great Horror Film Franchises.

source:
 http://www.filmsite.org/horrorfilms.html

opening sequence analysis

Juno

I love this opening sequence as i think it is so different to others, its not conventional or mainstream but the use of animation makes it so individual. The music is like modern american swing music, it is friendly and inviting. The actual film is very simple in terms of what it shows; a small area of  teenage girl walking around with a bottle of orange juice. The simplicity is sweet and it makes it look like an independent movie unlike most high budget movies that use multiple locations and extreme situations. In this clip we are not expecting dramatic moving images as the sound confirms the  sweet simplicity and locality of the film.

Sound research

Legally Blonde

The sound is immediately compatible with the genre. The tone is very upbeat and the singer; being a young woman represents the character with the mood of the song and the lyrics such as "They tell me to act my age", this is well related to the obsession with pink that is represented dominantly throughout. The music also relates to the genre of the film, mostly being a 'chickflick'. A very positive approach to a feel good movie is represented through the music. It is not just the music that makes this opening sequence so original; the use of glowing pink font shaped in a curvy feminine fashion makes the movie less formal. Although there is a lot of different moving image in the opening sequence you would expect it take the attention off the design of the film, however realistically all together they are matching and made very smooth throughout. 

Making sound

When searching for suitable sound for our movie we used the site 'freeSFX' as it had a lot of sound effects. However we had to narrow it down as the selection was quite large. We typed in 'horror' in the key word box and this made the process a lot quicker then what we had previously experienced. Some sounds relating to horror where more gory such as breaking bone effects, and others where more terrestrial obviously relating to monstrous/extra terrestrial figures.  However, we found some broader tunes that could be used as a dominant background noise for the beginning and end of the film. We downloaded some shorter sound effects for mid-scene clips such as a girl screaming, we would use this as Izzy (The first victim) gets attacked.   However we don't want to make it cliche so next lesson we plan to see how they flow in out movie.

scribd further research

Powerpoint on low budget horror

Powerpoint on hollywood big budget films

Initial idea planning

Our First idea was a love story. A boy and a girl who cant be together run away from home, but it is a challenge. The Cliffhanger ends when they both get caught by their 'enemy'. The audience does not know if they will escape but the film leads to lots of anticipation and tense feelings from the audience.

Film analysis

Panic Room

The genre of this film is thriller, however the use of titles and imagery can be used in our horror sequence aswell, as the opening sequence is very grimy and simple. The music is not upbeat, it is hollow and full of tension. The use of font looks like it is made out of metal or mirror, creating a three dimensional world. This is also confirmed with the background image of large buildings in a central location. All together it is very simple, but it is a very broad sequence with lots of meaning behind it, making it mysterious and intreaging. Midway through the sequence the music becomes a lot more multi-toned using 'tick tock' noises to represent time, without excluding the busy streets and sounds of cars moving past. The camera uses tilt in some areas to show the high buildings, making the film seem Hi-tech and high budget.

Editing in films

Psycho

I used this clip in particular to show how professionals use editing in film to give the audience a certain message. In this clip, the editing is very quick with a variety of different angles being used. This creates tension and fits with the horror 'code' where showing less gives a much more feared response from the audience. The use of shadow in the black and white filter is still very effective and behind the shower curtain the figure looks blurred therefore his identity is kept unknown. The camera angles such as the shower head makes the character feel as though they are the woman, use of pov angles in horror makes everything personified and this is very effective. The editing clips are very short in between each event, for example when he is 'stabbing' her with the knife the editing switches to different camera angles almost every time, keeping the murder graphic but not too much.

Using Title Software

LIVETYPE

Whilst the Macs where stolen. we where unable to edit, therefore I decided to get on with other things so we where not too far behind when the deadline came. Using the Livetype software I looked at a variety of different styles, colours and edits. I decided that using red would be the best associated colour to the genre of our film; Horror. Red represents danger, blood and gore, it is also deep and representative to the sequence that is about to occur. The style that appealed most to me, was 'Frigid' this made our opening sequence name 'The resistance' move slight;y left to right in a fast awkward movement. I thought this mocked the struggle to survive from the kidnapper as Emily; the victim of his evil antics latches on to the door trying to escape but struggles. The editing movement replicates that struggle as it represents panic and distress.

Ashes to Ashes analysis exam prep

Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the representation of Gender

In filming, the camera spends more time on the male characters apart from Alex Drake. in the boat for example, there us a lit of close ups of the males as they try and flirt with Alex, some of these being point of view shots, making the audience see what the woman sees. This might be because they want to represent men as greedy, dirty and arrogant, the close ups make them much more un-appealing, this is a bad representation of the make sex. The camera also uses tilt of Alex starting from her feet up till her face, this lets the audience explore her demographic,; as she is dressed as a prostitute. The use of red colouring and heavy makeup shows women in a exploited light which is a negative representation. 

however, in the scene where the man is holding her neck the cops sarcastically call her 'smart' this might have been used to show the inner depth of a woman who works as a prostitute. The emphasis and dialogue regarding her clothes highlight her as an 'object' rather than a human, the officers sarcastic remarks make her intelligiance undermines. the zoom inn of the clown looking character and the echoed voice makes him seen a villain, as we are dominantly shown the character of Alex, we assume this male is evil; negatively representing males.

The sound used is very repetitive, at the beginning during the fast cut editing the sound is deep and repetitive without taking away from the visual storyline. muic is significant in the scene where Alex has time to establish herself in the tilt camera movement. They use choir music of a powerful woman, to show her realisation of the apparant transformation of characters, this is a powerful representation of the inner beauty of the woman. Another important piece is when the officers role up in their car, the music is rock it is low key but 80s style music. This created an informality of the officers presence, their sunglasses are also very informal, making the audience struggle to see then authoritatively. The language used by the males towards Alex such as 'slut, prostitute' etc shows a complete disregard and respect towards Alex, representing men as the dominant sex over the confused damzell in distress.