AS G321: Evaluation - Attracting the Audience

How did you attract/address your audience?

For this question, Sophie and I asked a group of people what they thought of our main task production and what they disliked in a Questionnaire. We did this so that we had enough feedback to make a valid conclusion that our film attracted our target audience (15+).

	What do you like about our film?	Do you like the sound used?	What do you dislike about our film?	Would you watch the rest of the film?
Person 1 (Age 15):	Ambient Sounds Allows the audience to meet the main character.	I like the ambient sounds as it creates a real atmosphere.	The typeface could be more horrific by special effects.	Yes, I would watch the film because the tension slowly builds up which draws the audience in.
Person 2 (Age 19):	I like the narrative so far in the opening because it is creepy and alarming. The dip to black transitions.	Yes, I like the suspenseful music in the back ground, it work well with the scene.	Some of the shots don’t work smoothly.	Yes, I would because I particularly take interest in stalker related films.
Person 3 (Age 25):	Interesting storyline presented with little dialogue.	Yes, the music is very soft yet creepy and unsettling.	There aren’t many special effects or unique aspects.	Yes, I take interest in horror films.

We asked three different aged people a range of questions to see whether their answers met our expectations. 

Interestingly, Person 3 (aged 25) took much interest into the film and understood that it were in the horror genre. We decided not to tell the group what genre our film was in order to see if we incorporated horror conventions. The sound certainly helps make this assumption as it is very low pitched and disquieting. 

Overall, from this Questionnaire we gathered a more specific age group that would be attracted to our film, and this was ages 16-28. This was because younger ages would understand the themes more thoroughly, since it applies to technology and young women's vulnerability. Tension builds up soon after the opening, and this would attract to most young ages such as 15+ (person 1). Being scared and frightened is part of the horror movie 'experience'. If we had a more fast introduction to the movie, it would reveal too much causing the audience to make an initial decision whether or not they would want to watch the rest of the movie, which could possibly decrease the amount of viewers.

Fortunately, a lot of the audience we talked to, said they would be more than happy to watch the rest of the film in their local cinema and would suit most people's interests.

AS G321: Evaluation - Distribution

What kind of media institution might distribute my media product and why?

Our horror film would be distributed by 'Loinsgate films' which was founded in 1962 in Montreal and their headquarters are in California, US and Santa Monica. This institution has distributed various horror films including The Cabin in the Woods, The Last Exorcism and The Abandoned. 

In particular, The Cabin in the Woods had a budget of $30 million and earned a worldwide total of $65.9 million where the highest grossing countries were the United Kingdom ($8.5 million), France ($2.4 million) and Russia ($2.3 million). The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a rating of 92%, based on 253 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. 

From this data, it is clear to say that 'Lionsgate films' would be a great to distribute our film as many positive reviews are given to the movies that attracted a mass audience. However, realistically our film was created on a very low budget and uses no special effects therefore, is most likely to be an independent film such as Ex Machina which grossed $25 million on a low budget. 


Furthermore, we could release the film on different platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. This is because we will have limited distribute costs therefore, these are cheaper platform for the target audience to watch it rather than going to the cinema. 

AS G321: Evaluation - Representation

How does your media production represent particular social groups?

In our final media production both genders are represented, however, the male stalker is not identified at this point in time. We decided to keep the primary character female because most likely in horror films, a male is considered the most important as they will end up being the 'hero' of the 'damsel in distress'. Therefore, to contradict this, we used a woman to represent the film and themes that are involved. 

Women are usually sexualised within this genre which is one of the reasons why horror movies are rated 15/18. However, our media production does not include any sexual references, as our target audience is for young teens and it may be inappropriate to show our main actress this way especially since her lifestyle seems very professional. 

We decided to present female representation and social class through a video where we use a whiteboard and marker to simply show why we chose a character of colour and what statistics were shown for black actors/actresses. 

The female stereotype of being innocent and vulnerable is emphasised within the film as she does not yet have a 'hero' to protect her from danger, which could possibly represent her weakness at this point in time. Whereas the stalker in the film is already portrayed as a dominant and tough character who is a danger to 'Ava'. 

Gender stereotypes goes back to the 1800's, it was only in the 1960's feminists made movements and gained supporters and questioning the female stereotypes. Women are often objects of beauty and domesticity, often appeared as seductive or as mentioned above sexualised. Most films especially of the horror genre don't acknowledge womens strength, power and independence, in fact they are usually portrayed as unrealistic and hyper-attractive. However, it is becoming more common especially in the sci-fi franchise such as the Hunger Games and Divergent to include women of courage and force.

Therefore, within our film we wanted to show the independence of women especially in the middle class who are of colour. This is because, the audience do not have to feel empathy for an unrealistic female, as this wouldn't add realism or horror over a everyday hard working woman. Overall, we are happy with our choice of character because it challenges the female representation in current horror movies. 

AS G321: Evaluation Using, Developing and Challenging Media Conventions

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In this section I will be discussing whether our final media production is similar to those already dispatched or if it challenges/develops the typical horror conventions.

A horror movie would generally follow this criteria/guideline:

Setting

• Isolated places - Dark woods, abandoned houses, subways, lakes, cabins, fields etc.

Camera

• High and Low angles, POV's, slow tilts/pans, handheld shots and extreme close ups.

Iconography

• Visual style - red and black connote fear, darkness and danger.
• Iconography of monsters connote extreme fear, disgust or terror.
• Lighting - Dark, low-key lighting and shadows. Lighting is usually natural such as bonfires, fireplaces and torches.

Themes

• Good vs Evil - Religion - Depression - Revenge - Insanity - Madness - Death

Once we had finished editing our final film opening, we decided to do a Directors commentary discussing the production and why we decided to film it this way. We talked about the lighting, sound, colour and camera techniques and those of which worked well with the horror theme. 

Film Annotations

I used Microsoft Powerpoint to illustrate my annotations because it is quick and easy to use as well as it being a good way to present my points to other viewers and peers.

This porcelain tea set that we used in our media production similarly is used in The Woman in Black opening which I deconstructed. I discussed how it is very fragile and delicate which is considered creepy, as in most horror movies little girls in particular are 'playing' with them. 

AS G321: Film Journal

Film Journal

Sophie and I researched and planned a lot before our filming day to ensure the process was organised and detailed. However, there were a few malfunctions with the camera as well as train times. 

What went wrong?

(Sunday 15th January 2017)

When we arrived at Furze Platt train station at 8:45am, we went through the plans of the day with our actress and extra to ensure that they understood what they were acquired to do. Around 8:50am when our train was supposed to arrive, we realised that the trains were replaced by buses on this specific day. 

However, we were never informed about this and found it frustrating due to the lack of footage we would have. Unfortunately, through all of the further planning we had to do, we missed the bus that was also due to arrive which in turn, wasted valuable time and ruined most of our early morning plans. 

An image of Furze Platt Station

How did you overcome this problem?

(Sunday 15th January 2017)

In order to overcome this problem, we had to find another way of getting from the station into Bourne-End so that we could continue filming. This saved a lot of time than waiting for the next bus which was scheduled to arrive at 9:45am, an hour later. 

Once we successfully found a table at Costa coffee that had good lighting and was relatively empty, Sophie and I discussed our next steps and altered our film schedule by agreeing to film at Bourne-End station after the coffee shop scene. The weather was fairly grey and dull which was perfect for this genre, therefore, we were pleased with these quick changes in the agenda.
An image of Bourne-end Station

This is a quick video to show the setup of the camera and props before we started filming

What went wrong?

(Sunday 15th January 2017)

At around 11:00am after Sophie and I had finished filming for the first half of the opening, we decided to take a break and spend some time talking to our actresses about what they thought about the day. Unfortunately, during our short break, we didn't realise that the SD card was full and this in turn, didn't allow us to record anymore footage. This was a huge problem since we had not finished our recording, and we were also desperate for a new SD card. We even considered buying another card with a larger storage capacity, but due to lack of funds, this wasn't possible.

How did you overcome this problem?

To overcome this problem, I had to use my laptop to upload all the recorded footage and send it to trash in order to create space. This was successful, so we resumed filming and made sure that all footage was stored safely on the card. 
I used a MAC book pro to upload the footage which was quick and efficient

What went wrong?
                                               (Sunday 15th January 2017)

Lastly, during the filming process the camera displayed that the battery had run out. This was a minor problem because the other battery we had was not charged, therefore, we needed to charge it in order to carry on. However, this was going to take about 10-15 minutes, and this was wasting valuable filming time.

How did you overcome this problem?


In order to overcome this problem, we conferred what we planned to do in the next hour and a half. We had a set time limit to when we were to leave the coffee shop because at 13:30, the public needed more seating. So, we waited for the battery to charge half way so that we could finish the scene, but ended up recording short bursts rather than longer durations. This was successful, as we left the coffee shop 10 minutes before we planned to, with just enough time to film the train station scene. 
An image to show where we positioned the camera to portray voyeurism


At 13:20 we walked to Bourne-End station to familiarise ourselves with the area and platform that we intended to film on. It was raining quite heavily, and it was difficult to hold the camera in a position that avoided the rain from damaging the outer layer. We decided to just film 'Ava' walking up to the platform as if she was going to work. This was because, the rain interfered with the quality of footage and the microphone wasn't picking up the ambient sounds such as, footsteps. 

To conclude

Our filming day was a success as we were able to leave with enough footage to meet the time limit and the problems that occurred, were manageable with a little extra thought and discussion. 

AS G321: Editing Journal

In this blogpost I am going to be discussing what Sophie and I focused on during the post production. For example, we incorporated various editing skills within our opening and we spent short periods of time deciding which effect would look the most professional and creepy, to reflect the horror genre. 

Session 1

In Session 1, we spent our time familiarising ourselves with what Adobe Premiere Pro included and what features we used in our preliminary task that we thought would help us in our main production. This is what we did in that hour:

• We chose what footage was going to be the best for our final edit and moved it to a new folder specific for our Main Task. 
• Opened a new project and inserted the media footage in so that we could have the order ready for next time. 
• We saved the project so far and put it into a file on the desktop that held all our Main Task footage and images. 
• We decided to create various folders for this particular project, because files are easier to find as it is tidy and neat. 

The folders we created and used during post-production

Session 2

In Session 2, we focussed on montage editing meaning cutting up the film and editing it into the screened sequence (2:00). We also made sure there was continuity between each transition to ensure it looks efficient. This is how we carried it out:

• Sophie and I started marking the footage in and out so that we could ensure the clip was sufficient enough to meet the maximum time. 
• After trimming it, the edit was 1 minute, however, we had not altered speed or added any transitions, so we were pleased at the outcome.
• We continued repositioning the footage so that it demonstrated continuity and made sure there was a range of camera shots. 
• The camera angles/shots included, mid-shots, close-ups, POV's, Cut in's etc.
• We then rendered the footage in and out.
• The project was then saved as a copy in the 'edited version' folder.

We used Adobe Premiere Pro CS6

Session 3

In Session 3, we had our first check-in with our teacher who gave us constructive feedback on what we needed to do next in order to improve. 

{PICTURE OF CHECK IN SHEET}

{DISCUSS WHAT WAS SAID}

In the upcoming seasons we continued improving and altering the film opening while going back and forth to our focus group for feedback. Below considers all the editing techniques Sophie and I incorporated within the final production.

Transitions

• The only transitions we used between each scene was a dip to black and a cut. 
• We used a cut transition because helps the scenes flow more effectively, especially when your alternating between camera shots. For example, one scene is shot at mid-shot and then next is a close-up.
• A dip to black transition was the most used within our production purely because, it introduces silence and mostly creates tension. This is effective as it can be used a lot in horror films as they have the aspect of surprise and the unexpected. 
• We did try out other transitions but we came to a conclusion that they wouldn't work with our chosen genre. For example, a 'wipe' looked too smooth against the narrative subverting the typical convention of this genre, so that's why we went for something darker and more mystifying. 

  

The darkness represented within the horror genre

Lighting

After we had spoken to our focus group, Sophie and I came to the conclusion of making the colour more rich and enhancing the shadows to indicate horror. On the filming day we didn't have a key light so we agreed on using the coffee shop lighting as our main source which had a yellow and warm tone. However, this made it harder edit on Adobe as the warm feel wasn't easy to manipulate due to it not being a separate layer. 

• The only light source in the last scene was the laptop brightness. The contrast shades determine the creepiness of the stalker who is supposedly hidden in the darkness, and how he reveals himself through technology. 

Sound/Audio

We muted the original ambient sound that was produced as it was very over powering and took much attention away from the scene.

• We used non-diegetic suspenseful music to emphasise the reality of what was happening.
• We controlled the volume of the audio by making it softer and louder in certain areas. When we felt there was a scene that the audience should pay close attention to we would gradually increase he volume of the soundtrack. 
• The audio is parallel with the pace, especially where the credits begin to fade in (speed/duration).
• The only dialogue we had in our production was when AVA is on the phone to her friend organising a night out. It as a causal conversation with a friendly tone. The actress had a british accent.
• A sound bridge was incorporated where the thunder and rain sound increased in volume, and where the 'stalker' is typing the letter. 
• Naturalistic sounds were used (weather) to create verisimilitude which is perfect for the horror genre to create a realistic atmosphere for the audience. 
• Synchronous sound of the laptop typing. 

Lastly during the editing of this production, Sophie & I decided to keep the first scene focused on Ava and what she was doing. This long duration shot allows the audience to focus their attention on the female character understanding her facial expressions, what she is wearing, how old she is etc. If this scene were more fast paced like other horror openings, these details would be missed and therefore, leaving the audience in confusion. 

AS G321: Focus Group Feedback

Masked: Focus Group Feedback

Throughout the post-production, Sophie & I experienced many uncertainties with our edited footage. There were certain aspects we found effective but, we needed to ask our third audience what they thought and how we could incorporate more eerie features to reflect the horror genre. 

First edited footage

We first met with our actress and focus group member, Francesca. Sophie & I wanted to know what she thought of the opening up to this point. We had a short interview with her where we asked a series of questions that would help lead us to improvement.

What do you like about it? 
In this first edit I particularly like the camera positions, angles and shots. It demonstrates continuity and looks very professional to an audience. I have been told that the camera was placed in the stalkers perspective and that was evident when the camera app opened in front of Ava. So overall, I like the camera techniques and placement as I can tell a lot of thought and planning has gone into it.

Does the lighting reflect the setting?

The lighting is very warm and yellow toned which works well with the setting however, not for the horror genre. The Woman and Black for example, uses many cool tones such as grey, blue, purples to create more mystery. So, if there should be an improvement in lighting I would say, alter the tone by making it more cool rather than warm.

Does the audio need to be louder in any areas?

I really like the thunder and rain in the last scene where Ava is walking down the platform because it emphasizes the genre as being loud, unsettling and misty. So you can make the diegetic sound louder to create an eerie atmosphere. Also, the ambient sound in the coffee shop is fairly loud and can take the attention away from what is actually happening in the scene. For this reason, you could maybe mute the background sound and put a soundtrack on top to make the final edited footage look professional.

What do you think of the typeface?

The typeface for 'Masked' looks very effective as its shade contrasts with the black background. The font is very sharp and clean cut which looks simple but works well with the credit typeface. I like how the colour of the credits are kept the same (white) as this makes it easy for the audience to notice compared to having a dark colour on a dark background.

Does the production reflect the horror genre?

We then had a short interview with Rebecca where we asked her the same questions, so that we could receive constructive feedback which we would take on board in order to improve our final production.

What do you like about it?

I really like the quality of the first edit as it looks very professional and well filmed. The way the stalker is shown in the production is very creepy and alarming and certainly had an unsettling effect on me as the audience. Overall,  the first edit looks good but there are still areas of improvement.

Does the lighting reflect the setting?

I personally like the tone of lighting mainly because I think it contrasts well with what the stalkers doing. Also, having a dark light source or a shadow may not fit in well with the setting as coffee shops are usually bright and warm. If you wanted to improve the lighting or colour of the scene, you could make it more rich by changing the saturation and contrast just so that the features of the scene really stand out.

Does the audio need to be louder in any areas?

I think the audio already is loud therefore, you don't need to increase the volume. However, in certain areas the sound could be decreased such as the background sound of the coffee shop. This is because, it doesn't add professionalism due to the contrast between the quality of the scene and the shaky audio. Therefore, instead you could add a suspenseful soundtrack on top to really emphasize the horrific scene.

What do you dislike about the production?

The main thing I dislike about the production is the end. I don't really understand the scene where Ava is walking down a platform as straight after is cuts to the title. If you still want to add the scene where she's at the train station then you can make it longer so that the audience have time to confer with one another about what they think is going to happen next. This will be effective because it will get the audience involved from the start.

What do you think of the typeface?
I think the typeface looks very neat and simple which can be effective in various ways.  The white shade looks bold on a black background which helps focus the audiences attention on the title. Maybe to improve with the typeface, you could make it more mysterious by relating it back to the theme of horror. This could be by adding visual effects to make it look more professional. 

Does the production reflect the horror genre?

I think the production is very creepy and alarming as the audience can see that Ava is being stalked by someone she probably doesn't know. This theme reflects the horror genre as 'strangers' are a common fear. With a few improvements with colour and effects, the final edit will look very effective.

Second edited footage

We then met Francesca for the second time to see what she thought of the improvements we made within our production. We asked her one overall question so that we could make quick changes in order to meet our deadline. 

Are the improvements effective? Is there anything else Sophie & I need to include?
I am really liking the improvements made to the first edited production as there is a clear change in areas to enhance the colour and lighting. If you and Sophie were to improve aspects of the production, maybe you could try adding an extra scene of footage at the end so the audience can fully understand that Ava is being stalked. This is because, from what is shown at the moment, we don't have enough information to conclude there being a stalker.

Sophie & I lastly interviewed Amy Murphy where we showed her the first edited footage compared to the second. We did this so we could see Amy's initial thoughts on the changes as if she was a first time viewer. This is because Francesca and Rebecca were helping out on the filming day. 

What are the initial differences you notice between each edited opening? 
I can see that the second production has a longer running time than the first which is good because the audience can spend a bit longer understanding the plot so far. Another significant change is the speed of the actresses actions when the credits appear. They look slowed down which works well with the creepy suspenseful music. I like these difference and I'm sure it would appeal to your target audience. 

Final production

When Sophie & I were pleased with the horror film opening we met with our focus group for the final time to make sure it looked professional and mysterious before we exported it. This wasn't a scripted interview.