Title Research: “Two Eyes Staring (2010)”

My group and I watched the title sequence of, “Two Eyes Staring” (2010) from the Watch of the Titles website. During the title sequence, a consistent score played, dark backgrounds were shown, and creepy, unexplained visuals popped up on the screen. Collectively, these features gave off an ominous feeling, foreshadowing that the movie is clearly of the Horror genre. There were 14 titles in total that stayed on screen for approximately five seconds, each giving credit to the contributors who made the movie possible. Images that were prioritized include: shadows, dark, distorted pictures, reflections, and a little girl with a mask. The images gave off an eerie connotation mainly because of the fact that they were random, and had no context behind them. The genre horror was reinforced through symbolic and technical codes; for instance, the use of dark lighting, dark backgrounds, and creepy instrumentals to set a horrific mood. The strategies used to ensure that the film is reaching its targeted audience is the use of incomprehensible shots and images. By doing so, the producer was able to grab the audience’s attention— those who appreciate the creepy, enigmatic visuals in the opening sequence would want to continue to watch to experience fright that keeps them on the edge of their seats. Within the opening sequence, technology was used effectively through camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques. For the majority of the opening sequence, the common angles were extremely close up, and the medium closes up. Possibly, the use of persistent close-up shots was to let the viewers in on the discrete, unexplained actions which caused an initial feeling of eeriness. The transitions which were used include: fade in, fade out, and inserts. The use of a fade in and fade out signifies that the opening sequence is starting (fade in) and ending (fade out). The use of inserts serves the purpose of highlighting the important elements of the opening scene such as the simple, creepy motions.

Title Research: “The Final Destination (2009)”

My group and I watched the title sequence of, “The Final Destination” (2009) from the Watch of the Titles website. There are twenty titles in the opening sequence. In the opening sequence, the images that are prioritized are skeletons. The opening continues to zoom into the skeleton, expressing a close up almost every time. The connotation the images carry are negative. As seen in the opening, the skeleton is constantly being killed. After the title is shown, the camera begins to descend until it is at a low angle. From there, a steel beam comes down onto the camera in a point of view shot of the skeleton. Then, a close up is shown of the skeleton with the metal beam through its skull. The horror genre is reinforced through the constant use of extremely fast transitions from one scene to another along with the constant gore of the opening sequence. The film establishes an enigma when it shows the first death in the sequence. This death along with every other death leaves the audience guessing. The strategies used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience are the constant uses of zooms, pans, tilts, along with dim lighting, bright lighting, and eerie music. The technology was used effectively through the constant camera angles, allowing the opening to be scarier. For example, within the first 10 seconds of the opening, a beam is hitting the audience through the POV of the skeleton. Other Camera angles include: Close-ups, high angles, medium shots, extreme close-ups, pans, tilts, flash pans, flash tilts, and zoom-ins.

Title Research: “Dead Silence (2007)”

My group and I watched the title sequence of, “Dead Silence” (2007) from the Art of the Title website. There are twenty-three titles displayed in the opening sequence. Images that are prioritized are images of the creepy doll the older women are creating. All the sketches, drawings, and pictures are all shown while she creates her “perfect doll”. Connotation images used to carry throughout the movie are the images of the doll being made along with the scary music because it makes the audience question, what is wrong with that doll and what will happen with the doll? Horror is reinforced in this opening sequence through symbolic and technical codes from the outset because of the dark lighting, the strange angles of the creepy doll, and the dark red titles. The film establishes an enigma from the outset by showing a woman putting a creepy doll together. The strategies used to ensure the target audience is eerie music, dark lighting, candles, creepy drawings, tools, and worst of all, the scary ventriloquist doll. The technology has been used effectively because from the establishing spot, wide shots, high angles, dutch angle, long shots, point of view, pan, extreme close up, zoom, cross-cutting, shot/reverse shot, jump cuts, and fade out. 

Title Research: “American Horror Story: Freak Show (2014)”

My group and I watched the title sequence of, “American Horror Story: Freak Show” (2014) from the Art of the Title website. There are 14 titles displayed during the opening sequences of the film. The images that are prioritized in the opening sequence are the movie scenes in order. The first image is the production the film used and the following titles are the actors or people names who helped create the film. The images carry a negative connotation by making the audience feel weird and spooked. The genre, horror, was reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset, they are the animations from the strange-looking humans, the way the clowns look, and creepy circus props. The film establishes an enigma from the outset by giving the strange images that make the audience feel a certain way. The strategies that are used to ensure the film appeals to the target audience by creating mysterious and weird images. The technology has been used effectively due to the use of stop-motion and CGI sequences. There are establishing shots, wide shots, high/low angles, slow and fast transitions, point of view, handheld, action matches, and carnival-infused themes for sound.

Title Research: Watch the Titles Website

This is the homepage of the website: www.watchthetitles.com

My group and I are researching another website, “Watch the Titles”. It is dedicated to the art of title design and its creators. Started in 2006, the recently renewed website features a growing collection of over 200 title sequences and behind-the-scenes content. It offers a glimpse into the people, ideas and processes behind their film. This website has many features that made browsing through the website easier. They have interviews with directors and those who can explain the movie and how it was made. Those same people are the ones who experienced the film. It is important to understand what all of this means and what the significance is throughout the film. These are guidelines for the audience and for people who need their own guides in making their own movie sequences. This is a good website for us to see examples of creating and editing a film’s titles, just by seeing other examples of people's movie sequences benefits. This website also has interviews, feature films, TV shows, event titles, examples of student projects, video game sequences, and even other features to make people understand how to properly edit. It is very helpful. With all of their options, all you do is click the feature and a list of sequences pop up. There are plenty of title sequence examples for each genre. Not to mention, each of them is around 2 minutes. For ours, we watched a couple to help us make the titles look scary and creepy appear on the screen like theirs.

Title Research: Art of the Title Website

This is the homepage of the website: www.artofthetitle.com

My group and I are researching the website, “Art of the Title”. It is an online publication dedicated to title sequence design, television, movies, and video game industries. The website is both an educational and historical resource and a contemporary publication, focusing on the creative process behind the design of title sequences. We want to know why certain names come before and after others. Luckily, this website has many features and ways to learn all about title sequences. The sequences are separated by designers and studios. They are also separated by genres. If you are looking for your genre, they have an entire section just for that. Along with that, the title sequences from a range of old to new movies. Each of them is around 2 minutes. So, in order to make your own title sequence, you need to know how titles and the sequence are made. For the titles in our final task, we were planning to design the titles to match the genre, horror. Before researching this website, we planned to make the titles look scary and creepy appear on the screen. This website will help us understand the different designs for titles sequences, due to all the good examples of popular horror film sequences. This will guide our group into making a good title sequence for the final task. 

Genre Research: Doctor Sleep

C.A.M.S: Camera Angles, Movements, and Shots-
A common shot used in Doctor Sleep is establishing shots. Possibly, this shot was mostly used due to the fact that Doctor Sleep is a spin-off of the movie The Shining. Being the case, the director may want the viewers to recall locations from The Shining by using establishing shots. Wide Shot, High Angles, Tracking Shots, Medium Long Shot, Extreme Close Up, Twp Shot, Three Shot and Close Up.

C.L.A.M.P.S-
Costumes: Jack's signature maroon cord jacket, Grady twin gowns, Rose’s top hat, and baseball outfit. For the majority, the actors were wearing casual clothing.
Lighting: Dim and Dark Lighting to set an ominous, creepy tone.
Actors: The actors all have superpowers and are all supernatural beings.
Makeup: light makeup, blood, and scars
Props: Rose’s hat, baseball glove, and RV
Setting: Rehab Room, Apartment, Overlook Hotel

Editing- Cross-cutting from scene to scene to highlight the character’s powers was a helpful editing technique in Doctor Sleep. Cutaways and inserts were common in the movie to dramatize scenes. Fade out and fade-ins were also common.

Common Sound- Diegetic sounds, Non-Diegetic sound, Ambient Music, Incidental Music, and Scores.

Elements We Liked & Disliked- Elements that we liked were the jump scares and the scenes where the characters would fly around the globe. We also liked the shootout scene in the forest because we believed that it was a great way to incorporate action into a horror film. However, the elements which we disliked was how graphic the murder scenes were.

Genre Research: "American Psycho"

Our group researched, watched, and analyzed the horror film, American Psycho. This movie is about Patrick Batesman who is a wealthy, well educated 27 years old. The thing about him is that he lives a second life as a gruesome serial killer by night. He hides his psychopathic ego from his co-workers, friends, and family. Soon it begins to unravel as the next victim becomes Paul Allen. Soon Patrick Bateman is going to hit rock bottom with his OCD thoughts of murder. 

Common Camera Angles:

The extreme close-ups are used obviously to emphasize on specific details that the directors wants us to see like Bateman’s face and expressions opening a window to his mind or Allen’s body to shows that he is for sure dead, or the case of the pill shot to let the audience know that Patrick is under a pill treatment. The other shots are used depending on the importance of Allen to appear on the shot or not because when Bateman is making the most insightful pint of his speech is not necessary to see Allen. And finally, the angles used are very obvious, mostly high angles for Paul to make the audience feel that he is weak and fragile and low angles for Bateman to show his authority and power. 

CLAMPS:

The costume was Patrick's usual suit and tie that never seems to change as much. 

In the living room, the lighting is soft but bright. In the bathroom, the lighting is dark and weary when he enters. The makeup being used was the fake blood on Allen and cuts.

The prop was the knife that Patrick Batesman used to kill Allen at the time. This scene is set in Patrick Bateman’s apartment in two places, the living room, and the bathroom. In the living room, we see that everything is mostly black and white, the walls and the pictures on it with a sense of OCD as everything is set perfectly. Nothing out of order. In the living room, we see that all the furniture is covered with white blankets. In the place where Allen has seated the floor is covered with newspapers as his grave. 

Common Sounds in the movie are creepy and eerie music, along with the sound of Freddy Krueger scratching his claws throughout the movie.

Common Editing used was jump cuts, cutaway, eye-line match, fade, and cuts.

Elements of The Genre are the dark, creepy, scary places, disfigurement, dismemberment, jump scares, suspense (anticipation), spooky music and blood and gore.

Elements That I Like were the jump scares, spooky music, and the suspense throughout the movie.

Elements That Did Not Appeal To Me were the overacting, the dark because I could not see exactly everything, and the disfigurement was really gross and had a lot of gore.

Genre Research: "Nightmare on Elm's Street"

Common Camera Angles used in the movie were close-ups, medium close-ups, and extreme close-ups. Also, some movements and shots used were zooms, tracking shots and panning shots.

CLAMPS in the movie are below:
Costumes that were used were 80’s casual clothing since that is when the movie is taking place. So clothes such as leather jackets, button-up shirts, letterman jackets, jeans, and long skirts. The lighting is very dark for most of the movie and has a reappearing blue and red tint color to it sort of representing danger in away. The actor's actions are very naive and childish considering the main characters are young and in high school, but all of the adults are also ignorant because they don’t believe the young kids. The makeup is very natural for the teenagers and the hair is short and big for the girls, but gelled and swooped back for the boys. Although the makeup for Freddy Krueger is as if his skin has been melted away or burned by fire. Props used are Glen's pocket knife, Freddy’s claw fingers, stay awake medication, and all of the items in the house. The settings of the movie were in houses, in jail, and in school.

Common Sounds in the movie are creepy and eerie music, along with the sound of Freddy Krueger scratching his claws throughout the movie.

Common Editing used was jump cuts, cutaway, eye-line match, fade, and cuts.

Elements of the genre are the dark, creepy, scary places, disfigurement, dismemberment, jump scares, suspense (anticipation), spooky music and blood and gore.

Elements that I like were the jump scares, spooky music and the suspense throughout the movie.

Elements that did not appeal to me were the overacting, the dark because I could not see exactly everything, and the disfigurement was really gross and had a lot of gore.

Genre Research: "Countdown"

Our group researched, watched, and analyzed the horror film, "Countdown". It is a film about an app that tells you your exact time of death. The common camera angles are: Over the shoulder, Point of view, and Tracking shots.

The costumes used in the movie are: The Nursing clothing the protagonist and side characters wear, the robe the main antagonist wears, and the casual everyday clothing everybody else wears. One common lighting is the dim lighting used in the "scary" scenes. Another lighting used is the bright lighting used at the beginning of the movie. The protagonist of the movie is naive as she is told the app tells one when they will die and she chooses to download it anyway. The makeup for most characters is natural makeup as they look like normal, everyday people. The angel of death has yellow eyes and its face is covered. The setting is the hospital, the Tech store, and Quinn's mom's house.

Common sounds in the movie include: The diegetic sound when the characters are running, non-diegetic sound with the noises the monster makes, and dialogue when the characters are talking. Other common sounds are the sound bridge when changing scenes, and a scary score.

Common editing in the movie include: Cross-cutting between places, cutaway from the horror to another scene, insert into the computer, and a shot-reverse-shot between characters, for example, Quinn and Matt.

Generally, the common elements of horror are the fear of death, the dark, and fear of the unusual. My group and I enjoyed this horror film because it exhibited all the requirements to become an excellent horror film; as it continued to keep us guessing.

However, the elements of the genre that do not appeal to us were the constant jump scares that eventually became repetitive and predictable.

Genre Research: The Final Decision

Based on all of our genre research, my group and I decided the final task to be horror. In our recent group discussions, we eliminated the choices of musical, comedy, and action genres. This is because we all don't like it and it would've been difficult to create a film following those common elements. Those eliminations being set, my group and I narrowed the rest of the genres down to action and horror. After extensive research, we chose horror because it would be easier to create a film following the common horror elements, which are stated in the previous blog. Also, it is fun to capture the audience's imagination and be able to terrify them towards the ending of our film. As strange as it sounds, people usually find more of thrill in being scared or watching a film up to the point of a cliffhanger.

Genre Research: Action and Horror

My teammates and I researched the genre action, also referred to as “action-adventure.” By definition, the action film is the constant slam-bang of fights, chases, explosions, and clever one-liners.

• C.A.M.S. (Camera Angles, Movements, and Shots)- The common camera angles and shots are wide-angle, establishing shot, long shot, medium shot, close-up, extreme close-up, two-shot, and over-the-shoulder. The common camera movements are dolly zoom or vertigo shot and a single take shot. 

• Mise-En-Scene C.L.A.M.P.S- 

Costume: The costumes within the genre of action tend to be superhero or villain themed. Usually, superhero costumes wear dark, somber, clothing. The dark clothing symbolizes danger.
Lighting: Dim lighting is often used in action films due to the nature of the film. Towards the end where the resolution of the plot appears bright lighting is often seen; this symbolizes a better future.
Actors: The good guys/ protagonists are usually men who are brawny, strong and confident. On the other hand, the antagonist/ villain is usually the same, however, they are malicious.
Makeup: Typical makeup used in action films are bruises, cuts, blood, and sweat.
Props: Getaway cars, knives, guns, bombs, big vehicles, helicopters, and planes.
Setting: Common locations are places that are very populated such as urban areas, and popular countries such as America and England. By using popular places, the producer is able to attract an audience through familiarity.

• Common Editing- Cross-cutting, jump cut, cutaway editing, establishing shot, eyeline match, fade to black, and straight cuts. 

• Common Elements of Action Genre- Fighting, stunts, car chases or explosions, take precedence over elements like characterization or complex plotting.  The action typically involves individual efforts on the part of the hero, in contrast with most war films. 

• Examples of Action Films- 

                

• Common Sound Effects- Crowds, War sounds, Vehicles (skitting), Trains, Static sounds, Explosions, Sirens, Guns, Screams, and Monster sounds. 

• Elements We Like/Dislike- This genre is liked because we like impressive fight scenes with special effect explosions. The elements of this genre that do not appeal to us are the lack of plotline and character development. 

Additionally, my group and I genre researched horror. A horror film is a film that seeks to elicit fear for entertainment purposes.

• C.A.M.S. (Camera Angles, Movements, and Shots)- The common camera angles and shots are high angles, close up, tracking or panning shot, reverse, tilted angle, (extreme)long shot, low angles, handheld shot, point of view shot, zoom, and over the shoulder shot. The common camera movements are dolly zoom or vertigo shot and a single take shot. 

• Mise-En-Scene C.L.A.M.P.S- 

Costumes: tend to be scary or bloody.
Lighting is gloomy, silhouette lighting, harsh lighting, and dark.
Actors are usually young and very naive.
Makeup is white or pale skin, and dark under the eyes. There would be fake blood or stitches over the body.
Props are typically knives, guns, fake blood, television, baby carriage, doll, chainsaw, video camera, ouija board, and masks.
Settings are haunted houses, cabin, hotel, hospitals, asylums, graveyards/cemetery, schools, carnivals, and woods.

• Editing-  Cross-cutting, jump cut, cutaway editing, establishing shot, eyeline match, fade to black, and straight cuts. 

• Elements of Horror Genre- The common elements are fear of death, the dark, creepy and crawly things, scary places, disfigurement, dismemberment, suspense (anticipation and expectations), spooky music. 

• Examples of Horror Films-

 

• Common Sound Effects- Ghosts, monsters, witches, screams, evil laughter, heartbeat, creaks, howls, chainsaw, splats, and the wind blowing. 

• Elements We Like/Dislike- This genre is liked because it shows fears while making the audience still give off feelings of anticipation. The elements of this genre that do not appeal to us are the jumpscares, gory scenes, and when you know what is going to happen next. 

Genre Research: Musicals

At the beginning of my AICE Media Studies course, my teacher assigned my group mates and I a genre project, shown below. A list of movie genres such as Horror, Musical, Action, and Comedy was randomized and handed out to each group. Evidently, my group was assigned to the genre Musical. Including myself, there were four people within my group. We were tasked with researching the norms and conventions of Comedy: common sounds, lighting, movements, angles, and Mis-en-scene. Additionally, we inserted picture examples of comedic films, naming some elements of comedy and breaking down the elements which we liked and disliked. This project familiarized us with the filming techniques of the Comedy genre. If we were to do a Comedy film for our final task, we would have an advantage being that we already have background research and knowledge surrounding the genre.

The Final Pitch

Pitch 1: Ghost(The house on 10th Ave) 
Pitch 2: Serial Killer 

For our first pitch, the girls will be walking down the street and playing with a ball in the evening, which will roll in an abandoned house. They look and see something in the window, which makes them run away and head back to the house, they talk about the figure they saw and go to sleep. The following day, one of the girls convinces the two other girls to go back to the abandoned house; they go inside to find the ball, along with creepy details embroidered around the house. One of the girls walks off to record the back of the house, but the ghost is waiting there; he possesses her and she screams in fear. Soon after, the other girls come running after her and question if she’s okay, but the possessed girl says yes and acts normal. Later, the possessed girl has a weapon in her hand and one of the girl's notices and this is where the final scene will cut. The second pitch is our serial killer idea, this pitch will have the protagonists walking down the street and having fun. Then, from an over the shoulder shot, a man will be watching the group from a distance and the group will continue to walk and the man will continue to follow. One of the members of the group would spot the man and inform her friends. The friends become scared, then start to run and arrive at one of their friend's house. The friends become comfortable again, but then again, from an over the shoulder shot, the man is watching the group through the window. The final scene will be the serial killer getting stabbed, then the audience will see a low angle of the killers hand moving. 

The first pitch is a good idea to do for our final project because it is more planned out. Immediately after the idea came up of making a film involving ghost creativity flew in the air. Anyeska and Jazmin started to discuss how the scene would begin, escalate and end. Later they discussed to the other group mates what they had come up with. Lesly and Britania added ideas of their own as well. One of the reasons we knew right away this was a good idea was because of the location. Already we had an idea where the haunted house would be and how we would decorate it. Anyeska soon told us the perfect place that had an abandoned house we would be able to use. Locations, props, makeup, camera angles, and scripts are already being taken care of. We also thought this would be a better decision because Lesly will be able to film us and make our ideas come to real life. Finally, we wanted to make a film that would engage the audience and make them remember this film. We want them to wonder what will happen next. 

The second pitch is not a good idea because the scenes we would film would be very repetitive. The serial killer is basically a stalker who follows these girls. There is nothing special or new about this concept. We wanted to go outside the box and think of something better. To add on, we wouldn’t have that many places to film. The only two places would be the park and the home of one of the girls. Scary movies are much better than these slasher type films. Also, it would be very hard to end the intro with a cliffhanger. As we explained in the first paragraph our end scene for our second pitch was for the serial killer to move his hand. This has already been done with movies like Halloween where they think the main killer is dead, but he never is. Another thing is having someone to film us. Since Lesly is playing the ghost from pitch one, he doesn’t need to be in that many scenes. So he is able to film us if we did pitch two we would have to ask someone else to film and it would not be guaranteed they would fulfill our vision. 
    
In the end, we all have decided to do the first pitch because we all love the idea. This pitch is the one that stuck out the most to us because we spent so much time on it. From the location to the final scene. The few months we have to work on this project will be used wisely and efficiently. Making sure we make the creepiest and unsettling intro we can. Adding special effects and eerie sounds, that we wouldn’t have been able to add in the serial killer film. Our group even came up with a name already. We already know each detail and angle that is going to take place. Pitch one is definitely the best choice and even though some things might get changed along the way. All four of us are determined to do the best we can for our viewers and teachers. 

Starting the Final Task

I am Anyeska, a hardworking student who has created various projects in the AICE Media Studies class. The project I will be starting now is the final task. This project will need an extensive amount of research in order to progress. I will be doing lots of background research before I am able to film it. Since I am a plan-ahead type of person, I like to make a schedule and think everything for it. Personally, I like to be the director and editor of the films. This is because it gives me the ability to create films on how I want it to be and to my own liking. Which is why I am excited to make a two-minute opening scene for a horror film. For this project, I will be working with the same people as the last. The people from the last projects were Lesly, Britania, and Jazmin. I preferred to work with them because it's more fun and efficient. 

I have learned tremendously throughout being in my AICE Media Studies class. One being, that I found out how to edit films better, which makes my ideas for films becoming real. Another is when I was filming the scenes in my other projects, it encouraged me to develop a filming hobby. That has helped me acknowledge what camera angles or camera movements work better in certain instances. Also, how to make the filming process more organized when it comes to dumping raw footage from the camera onto my computer.  Experimenting with my film has made me be able to create many different scenarios. With those different scenarios, I'm able to easily make storyboards and consider them simple. I am excited to begin the storyboard and research for this film. The fact that I am able to work with a group of my friends is even better. I can't wait to use the skills I've learned and my several talents to use, all for the final task! 

A pitch is a Hollywood term to describe where a film is encapsulated in 25 words or less. Usually one or two sentences. I have three pitch ideas. The first pitch is a group of girls found an abandoned house and figure out that there is a ghost, which ends up possessing one of them. Do the others find out? The second pitch is that there is a girls sleepover but while they are sleeping, one of the girls wake up at 3:00am not being able to move, breathe, or speak. The third pitch is a group of friends is hanging out when one of them hears a creepy whisper, it attracts them to a ghost who is trying to kill him. I came up with these pitch ideas by choosing a genre (horror) and then brainstorming short yet scary stories. I want the film to be something that would make the audience want more, like a cliff-hanger. In these films, I plan to have extra actors or helpers to record. There will also be props and makeup to improve the films. 

Left to right: Britania, Jazmin, Lesly, and I working on our final task!!

Me writing notes for the Final Film!!