Evaluation

FM3 Creative Project Evaluation


The film, in which I have created, is about a young girl, Emily, who had been involved in the disappearance of her friend Beth Richards and claims she witnessed some paranormal activity of something that is unexplainable. The film sequence I have created shows Emily being interviewed months after the disappearance of her friend. The interviewer is asking Emily a series of questions about the events that had happened on the night her friend went missing. Parts of the interview show Emily is being possessed by something unknown.

The audience my film is aimed at is young teenagers/adults. The ways in which I have made my film apply to my target audience are elements such as using a young girl, the same age as what I would want my audience to be, if an older person was used the film would not have the same effect on the targeted audience. Another element I developed my film on is the audiences of other horror films. From my own knowledge from family and friends, it tends to be younger people who watch horror films, therefore my decision was to make my film appeal to younger audiences. This was also established in the audience feedback questionnaire when I asked each individual spectator to watch my film and fill in the questionnaire. One of my questions being ‘what would you say the target audience for the film is?’ To which they all answered young teenagers/or young adults therefore the target audience I aimed by film at was successful.

The narrative of my film sequence would be non-linear as the film sequence I have created would be the end of the film, but in fact it is shown at the beginning, meaning that my sequence is the equilibrium of the whole film as it establishes the character and gives hints of the storyline through Emily’s dialogue. The film would go on to show what happened that night, and find out what happened to Beth, Emily’s missing friend.
To create a successful film sequence I had to follow aspects such as the mis-en-scene, editing, sound and cinematography and within these I had to make sure I followed the codes and conventions that are found within horror genre films allowing me to create something that would have the same effect on the audience as any other horror film.
The mis-en-scene within the sequence is very straightforward as I planned to have the effect of an interview room because of the narrative of the sequence. The rooms tend to be very plain, with dim interior lighting, which I was able to create through the light settings in the room. The black and white background behind Emily was chosen because I wanted it to signify Emily, as a characters state. The white part of the background signifiers the innocent, normal, young part of Emily and the black which is above the white would signify that Emily is being taken over by something dark as the conations given to the colour black are unhappy emotions, and often death. Within some of the shots the line dividing the black and white is not level which represents the narrative as something is not quiet right and something is wrong.

This idea of the plain interview room also comes in when choosing props for the setting. No physical props are used except what would be found in an interview room such as the chair Emily is sat on and the desk which is placed in front of her, again bringing the plain stereotypical image of an interview room. The costume Emily is wearing however needed it to be modern, and something that would be seen in the year the film is set in which is 1995. The jeans, top, and cardigan establishes the age of the character and also clothes that would have been worn in that era. The black and white stripy top in particular was chosen to give the effect that Emily is trapped. The black and white stripy top is the stereotypical costume of someone that commits crime such as a prisoner or a robber and Emily within the narrative is being taken over by something evil, something bad which links in with the stereotypical costume of people who commit crime, often bad people. I also particularly positioned Emily on the edge of the chair giving the impression that Emily is ‘on the edge of her seat’ feeling uncomfortable and the gap on the seat suggests that something is there, another side of Emily, which would be the thing that is possessing her.

Before filming I knew that the editing of my film would play a big part of the success of my film. Throughout the sequence I used the editing to put across emotions of Emily and to create an eerie atmosphere, which was much needed for the narrative and genre. I used colourization on the editing suite to create an effect that would make the character look drained, reflecting her emotions, and it also gives an dark ob-normal atmosphere that relates to the narrative.
The CCTV camera effect was an idea that I came up with to create the impression that Emily had being watched by us but also whatever is possessing her, as she says in the dialogue ‘I cant it will hear me’ knowing that it would be around her. I made the CCTV camera footage in monochrome to create realism suggesting that this is a real CCTV camera observing somebody. I also used the CCTV camera effect along with the dialogue. When Emily is repeating something she has already said, I used the CCTV camera affect to allow the same words to be repeated but also allows to see Emily saying it in different camera shots such as close up shots, and side shots, adding variation of shots. It also reminds the audience that she is being watched by the CCTV camera throughout, adding a more emotional influence to the narrative and the spectator.

One the main colourization editing that I used to create effect is when Emily is being possessed the first time. I made the colour turn red, as the colour red has connotations of evil. Her face turns red as if there is something evil within her as she is being possessed. I used this technique again, further in to the sequence when Emily is repeating the word ‘Evil’. When Emily says ‘Evil’ the last time the sound is louder as she comes up into the camera her face, again turns red, symbolising the evil within her, and because of the dialogue it is easily recognisable to the audience that the character has turned evil, or whatever is possessing her is evil, adding to the idea of ‘the fear of the unknown’. I used other techniques that emphasises on the idea of ‘the fear of the unknown’ as the visual aspect of what is happening cannot be seen. This is seen when the screen in which the impression that the camera has been turned off. The use of the grey screen with black coming through it is easily recognisable to the audience, and again similar to the CCTV camera creates realism. With the variety shots at the beginning of the sequence I created a reverse pattern, by doing this it refers to the CCTV camera and that she is being watched and recorded but also the fact that on a CCTV tape you are able to fast forward and rewind again creating a realistic element to the film.
Another technique I used in editing was using a video echo when Emily is being possessed and is screaming. The video echo allowed me to create the effect that something other than her is inside of her, in this case something evil. Creating two images creates the effect of two people, two sides of Emily, the good and the evil.
At the end of the sequence when the camera falls to the floor I put the monochrome effect on, to act as if the camera was damaged. The effect I wanted to give by doing this links in with the narrative and Emily’s emotions that she is damaged because of what has happened to her. After the camera has fallen, I used a dissolve to show the two sides of Emily, one in the monochrome effect showing her face, and on top of that the ‘evil’ face in red again showing the idea of the two personalities, and suggesting something within her furthering the idea of her being possessed by the unknown.
Throughout the sequence I used many editing techniques that successfully put across the mood and emotions; I think I was successful in exploring the different effects I could use on my film.

The sound used in my film, was mostly dialogue as I was to follow a written script. However I was able to change the volume and slow down the audio to make it more effective. I used different sounds throughout the sequence, and many were just basic sounds. For example at the beginning of the sequence the sound of the camera rolling was effective as that is the impression I wanted to give as Emily was being watched by a camera in the narrative. One part of the sequence were I was able to explore the sound is when Emily is shouting ‘EVIL’ at the camera. As she repeats this it gets louder and louder until the final ‘EVIL’ where this is louder than the others. With this shot I wanted to create the sound of a something masculine so that the audience could tell the difference between what is Emily and what is the demon within her, influencing the audience’s emotions hopefully fear. This fits well with the colourization of making Emily’s face red. Another important sound feature in the sequence was the screaming shots. I made the shots in silence because if the screaming sound was there it would distract the audience from the vivid visual imagery, in which the video echo is placed. The silence of the shots also creates an eerie sound, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere, often found in horror films.
Another example of sound is during the grey screen when the camera is being cut off. I used a beep to finalise what had been happening, and again has the effect of ‘the fear of the unknown’ I also used it at the end of the emergency phone call at the beginning of the sequence. The beep also adds the fact of realism as the sound which is given when a phone is put down, and it also tends to be very eerie.
The use of sound within the sequence helps add emotion and creates the atmosphere that I wanted to achieve, it also helps establish the characters behaviour in what is normal for her and when she is being possessed.

The cinematography varies throughout the sequence, as I used a range of shots that help represent the emotions of the main character Emily. As there is no extreme movements within the sequence it allowed me to concentrate on the character itself, and shows all the emotion that she goes through. I captured a extreme close up of Emily’s eye, placed in the beginning shots, I did this because it is said the eye is the window to the soul, and Emily’s soul, in the narrative has been taken over by something unknown. By doing this it draws attention to Emily before we see her being possessed, hinting to the audience that something is happening to this character. Extreme close up was also used on Emily’s lips in the style of the CCTV, giving the impression she is being watched closely, but also allows the audience to understand and see what she is saying. I used close up shots frequently in the sequence as they enable the audience to see the characters expressions and emotions. But also it invades Emily’s personal space, making the audience feel uncomfortable, following the feeling and atmospheric conventions of the horror genre. From the characters point of view, looking into the camera it gives a hint of self reflectivity and breaks the fourth wall slightly, again making the audience feel uncomfortable. The ‘EVIL’ part of the sequence also follows the uncomfortable feeling which is given to the audience as in this shot the character comes towards the camera getting closer to the audience making them uncomfortable. Other shots such as side shots, high angle shots, medium shots, and medium close up shots were used to give variation and so that the audience can hear and understand the dialogue. The variation of shots was also used so that it allowed me to create the CCTV footage because the camera would have been placed around the room in different places, making the CCTV footage realistic therefore successful.

Overall by looking at each element of my film, the mis-en-scene, editing, sound and cinematography all create meaning in my film, as act well in making my film successful. All in all I am very pleased with the sequence that I have put together, and believe I have met codes and conventions of the horror genre.

Audience Feedback

For my audience feedback, I came up with 11 questions that allowed me to see what my audience thinks about the horror genre its self but their opinions on the film that I produced by watching the film. These are the questions I asked and a copy of my audience feedback questionaire.

Horror Genre Q

1) What film genre do you watch the most?

• Action
• Romance
• Horror
• Comedy
• Sci-fi
• Other
  

2)How often do you watch Horror genre films?

• All the time
• Once a month
• Not very often
• Never
  

3) If so what is your favourite film? ___________

My Film Q
4) Did you enjoy the film? Yes/No
5) Can you tell what genre the film is? And how?
6) Do you think the film fitted well to the stereotypical horror genre conventions? Yes/ No
7) What do you think was the best part of the film?
8) Was there any part of the film you didn't like?
9) How could i improve my film?
10) What would you say the target audience is for the film?
11) Would you recommend this film to your friends? And Why?

(Add any comments)


Copy of my audience feedback questionaire

Results from Horror genre questions (1,2,3)
1)
As an all round film question I was interested to know out of the 5 film genres (Action, romance, horror, comedy, and sci-fi) which one is most popular. The Pie chart shows that the comedy film genre is the most popular, followed by the horror genre. I found out what i wanted to know by this, and it is proven that the horror genre is a popular genre.

2)
This graph shows that it is equal in the ways that the audience watch horror genre. All the time and never are the two opposites and this shows that its equal in the horror genre as just as many people watch them all the time than the audience never watch horror films. This is the same for once a month and not very often. Both are equal, however these are the most popular answers again, showing that the genre is popular but not at the top as it is also shown in question 1's answer, as it became the second popular genre after comedy. By the answers from the two questions, it equals out the results helping me understand who and what is the audience of horror genre films.

3) Whats your favourite horror film if so?
The results from this question show a range of different horror films, two of the respondents did not answer this question. These are the answers:

Respondent 1: The Decent
Respondent 2: Saw 3
Respondent 3: The eye
Respondent 4: The shining

All of the answers given are considerably popular horror films. This shows that audience in which my film was shown to are familiar with the horror genre, which means that my audience feedback will be opinions of horror fans, making it more honest than people who do not like the genre at all.

Audience Feedback results - My film

4) Did you enjoy the film? Yes/No

All respondents answered YES

5)Can you tell what genre the film is and how?

Respondent 1: Horror
Respondent 2: Horror as the plot showed a girl possessed. The beginning explains this, conventions, police call, strange noises ect. and the red filiter making her evil.
Respondent 3: Horror, through the use of editing and colour effects.
Respondent 4: Horror - camera work and performance.
Respondent 5: Yes the film is a horror, shown through the narrative. Close up shots and the red effects on the girls face to show she is evil.
Respondent 6:Horror by the effects and acting.

6) Do you think the film fitted well to the stereotypical horror genre conventions? Yes/No

All respondents answered YES.

7) What do you think was the best part of the film?

Respondent 1: the rage scenes
Respondent 2: the opening was highly effective as it showed 4 shots in black and white. CCTV style.
Respondent 3: All of it mainly the editing.
Respondent 4: Editing.
Respondent 5: The effect of the CCTV cameras.
Respondent 6: When the actress was being possessed.

8) Was there any part of the film you did not like?

Respondent 1: No.
Respondent 2: No.
Respondent 3: No, I loved it all
Respondent 4: No.
Respondent 5: No.
Respondent 6: No.

9) How could I impove the film?

Respondent 1: Better quailty image.
Respondent 2: Varitation of location and place
Respondent 3: Using more space.
Respondent 4: Make it longer and explore the possessed aspect.
Respondent 5: Maybe add some more locations.
Respondent 6: I don't think it could be improved, it's good as it is.

10) What would you say the target audience is for the film?

Respondent 1: Teenagers, maybe 18+
Respondent 2: Teenagers/Adults
Respondent 3: Young teenagers 13 - 21
Respondent 4: Young 18 -29
Respondent 5: Young adults aged 16 - 30
Respondent 6: 18 - 25 year olds male/female

11) Would you recommend this film to your friends?
Respondent 1: Yes
Respondent 2: Yes, it gave me the chills and I enjoyed watching the different shots
Respondent 3: Yes, its interesting.
Respondent 4: Yes, well edited.
Respondent 5: Yes, the narrative and storyline sound good and interesting
Respondent 6: Yes, it looked like it had a story to it rather than people just being killed like most horror films.

Any other comments

Interesting film, very good, loved it.

Overall the audience feedback of my film gives good, positive comments, and I am pleased with the outcome. The answers to the horror genre questions will allow me to explore the needs of the audience, and gives me more information about what my audience watch and enjoy, and hopefully my film meets these expectations of a horror film.

Finished Film

Costume, Props and Setting

Costume
The costume I am using for the character Emily is normal everday dress as it is set in modern times. I particularly chosen the striped back and white top for emily to wear as the stripes can suggest that she is trapped. the black and white stripe is also famous for prisions or burglers to wear, which are considerably bad people. as emily is being possessed by a demon, she is bad. It can also suggest that she is trapped much like a prisoner.

Props
The use of props is very small for my film as it set in an interview room which tend to be bare and plain. Table and chairs are included, and also the mention of the camera within the storyline.

Setting
The setting i have chosen is a normal college class room. I will move the furtiture so that it would look alot more interview room, within a police station. Emily will be sat behind the table on a chair.

The Victim - Film Script

Film Script – The Victim.

This scene takes place in a normal room, set out like an interview room. The girl being interviewed is Emily, she has been involved with her friends disappearance on the 19th April. She claims to have witnessed something obnormal and the interviewer is trying to get her to tell them what happened on the night and what happened to her missing friend Beth. Some of the shots will be as if she is being watched by a CCTV camera, and other shots are varied, to show her emotion. Within the scene Emily is possessed by something unknown, she becomes angry and starts to crawl to the camera. At the end of the scene we hear the interviewer screaming and Emily is looking directly at the camera in front. The camera falls on the ground and Emily crawls to the camera and says 'its not me' the camera cuts off.

Sound of a phone call.
-999, what’s your emergency?
-(weird voice, different language)
- Sorry sir, I cannot understand you!
- (weird voice speaks again, something unexplainable)
(the phone is put down)

Various different shots of Emily, the girl being interviewed in the room. Long shots, medium, close ups, extreme close up of eye.

Interviewer – Hello Emily, tell us about what happened that night?
Emily – I can’t, it will hear me.
Interviewer – what will hear you Emily?
Emily – I don’t know who. It’s everywhere I go. (Everywhere I go is repeated, using different shots) (Emily head flops)
Interviewer – Emily? Emily?
Interview is continued...
Emily – I told you it did, it is, I can’t get away anymore (repeated using different shots)
Interviewer – who was you with that night?
Emily – you know who! Jonny, Kate and.... (pause)
Interviewer – and Beth?
Emily – NO! No, she wasn’t there!
Interviewer – she was Emily, what happened to her?
Emily – i don’t know! She, she went
Interviewer – went where Emily?
Emily – away! (Starts being possessed, crawls towards the camera)
Interviewer – Emily! Emily... can we stop recording please. (Camera goes off)
Interviewer – the continuation of the interview with Emily potter 20th April 2010
Are you okay to continue Emily?
Emily nods head.
Interviewer – what did you see Emily?
Emily – you wouldn’t believe me, us.
Interview – we would like to know Emily
Emily – there was nothing there! Nothing. We could hear it but we couldn’t see it.
Interviewer – explain to me what it was
Emily – evil! (This is repeated in different shots, it gets louder until Emily is screaming ‘evil!’
(She starts to shake madly and screaming, security comes to settle her)
Once settled the interview is continued.
Interviewer – are you okay Emily?
Emily – yes, yes, it gets angry sometimes.
Interviewer – what does?
Emily doesn’t answer and stares into the camera.
We hear the scream of the interviewer and the camera falls to the ground. Emily crawls up to the camera and says ‘it’s not me!’

Horror Film Clips

Gothika - Interview scene


This scene from Gothika, is a typical interview scene within a horror genre. The dark lighting gives an unhappy and strange atmosphere, which goes along with its narrative. The cinematography varies within the scene, shots such as high angle shots are used to give the impresssion that the characters are being watched. The scene also includes shot reverse shots to show conversation, and the use of medium close up are used so we are able to see the emotion on the characters faces. The use of bars, and gates suggests that the character is trapped, I plan to use this technique within my film.

Silence of the lambs - interview scene

This is a clip from silence of the lambs, that shows the main character who is the 'baddy' . The beginning of the scene again shows red bars, again giving the impression the character is behind bars, and is trapped. The clip features alot of close up shots of the murder. The clip also shows the use of shot reverse shots the same as the gothika scene. I will use these particular shots in my own 5 minute film.

Conventions and Characteristics of Horror Genre

This type of genre strives to educe fear and apprehension from their viewers by colliding supernatural into reality situations. Everything a normal society values is systematically destroyed throughout the film. It often can be completely paranormal without any reality whatsoever and are based on classic literature of the gothic/horror genre. They can also incorporate elements of other genres such as science fiction (sci-fi), fantasy, black comedies or thriller. Modernized horrors usually contain graphic violence or bloody gore. Horror films differentiate due to the years and so it is much harder to compare or group them largely and so contrasts between them become very clear.o
Preliminary introduction into ordinary lifestyleo
Type of bizarre murder/death – killer maybe known or unknowno
Credits follow horror theme – creepy font, title movement, image eg pumpkin, weapon, etco Main characters introduced – young/ youthfulo
Teenage kids – easy target also vulnerable – home alone
Teenagers usually a couple – football jock boyfriend and cheerleader blonde bimbo girlfriend. Mysterious phone calls – dubbed sinister voice “Who’s There…?”
Family ties brokeno Sisters killed by brothers e.g: Halloweeno
Sometimes unsuccessful acts of heroismo Victim unprotectedo
Superhuman killer – doesn’t die successfully = sequels