Title research: Cargo

1) How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?

During the opening sequences of the film “Cargo”, there were 10 opening sequences to the film. Some of these included the producer, executive producer, director, director of photography, etc.

2) What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

Throughout the opening sequence of “Cargo”, they showed a woman with bare skin in a very dark place. The woman seemed as if she was very frightened and lost. The woman was also very bony and skittish as she sat there constantly checking her surroundings. This shows that something terrible most likely happened to this woman but the audience doesn’t know until the film is watched.

3) What connotations do the images carry?

The connotations of the images in the opening sequence of “Cargo” carry a very eerie and frightening feeling for the audience. This feeling is created mostly from the setting and character expressing skittish and scared actions. The setting is dark with very dim light focused on the main character of the opening sequence. On top of this eerie setting, the main character is incredibly freaked out which is why the images carry very fearful and creepy connotations.

4) How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?

Throughout the introduction to this film, the genre is reinforced through symbolic and technical codes. The directors use symbolic codes to show what is beneath the surface of what we are seeing. In other words, this is a way of showing the audience what is behind or the cause of the horror that is being shown. This allows the audience to understand what is going on and have a better understanding of the emotions being portrayed. In the case of this film, we see that this person is being abused and is clearly terrified. Additionally, technical codes are used to show all of the ways equipment is used to tell the story in a media text, this includes the camera work as well. This film's introduction shows the story of someone who is being abused. The person experiencing the horror is very frightened and clearly feels alone. The directors also add to this effect by having the camera shake to make it look as if this person is being watched.

5) How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

The film establishes an enigma from the outset as they show a damaged and scared individual however, not showing the audience what specifically happened to that individual. Doing this will result in the audience wanting to know what happened to that individual as the movie continues. They also develop enigma as the individual rapidly and constantly checks her dark surroundings. This causes the audience to question these actions and what the individual is scared of or looking for as she sits in a very dark area.

6) What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

Many strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audiences such as the setting, the font of the titles, and the score. The setting, font of the titles, and the score all appeal and make the audience want to continue watching to see what happens next. This is an excellent film strategy because the directors give an insider as to what is happening. This gives the audience a reason to continue watching. Additionally, the main theme is clearly identified which allows for fewer misunderstandings and more enjoyment of the film. The directors and producers also do not identify who the person causing this terror is. The audience can infer that this person is behind the camera due to the horror on the woman’s face and the shakiness of the camera. This is also an effective strategy because this makes the audience eager to find out who this person is and what they are doing.

7) How has technology been used effectively?

The technology was used very effectively throughout this film introduction. The film producers did an excellent and effective job of incorporating camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques. One camera angle used in this film was a close-up. This close up was used to extenuate the fear and terror of the film. When the camera shows the close up you can see this woman clearly feels trapped and is extremely horrified. We also can notice how she is shaking and appears to be cold. Using this shot was important in allowing the audience to understand and see how this woman is feeling and also allows us to infer what may happen next. One transition that was used as a transition from shaking very frightening images to showing the woman sitting alone in the corner. This is an effective transition as it shows the pain the woman has been through and where she is now. This also allows the audience to see the other victims involved in this unknown horror. This is an important detail for figuring out what type of horrific situation she is in. One editing technique that was used was the add-in of the sound. The music allows the audience to sense when something important is about to happen. In this film, the music begins to get higher and more intense as the antagonist is about to be introduced. Overall, these examples of camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques used in the film show the role that technology has played in creating this amazing horror film

Title research: Dead Silence

My group and I decided to research different title sequences from opening scenes in horror movies. To research, I decided to choose the movie Dead Silence. This is a horror movie that I found on Art of the Title website. I choose this movie because the title sequence fits perfectly with the movie and makes sense to the plot.

1.    How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
 
 In the movie Dead Silence, there were in total of 21 titles in the opening sequence. These included a quote and other important jobs that played a part in the film like the producer, casting agent, director, etc.

2.    What images are prioritized in the opening scene?

There weren’t many images placed in the film, mostly videos. But there were times when the video would freeze on something important to the plot, that they wanted the audience to know. For example, the whole opening scene was a man making the doll which was the main focus of the film and sometimes it would stop on images of sketches of different dolls that were being made. This might’ve been prioritized because they wanted the audience to see how the doll was made.


3.    What connotations do the images carry?

The images that were prioritized in the opening sequence had a creepy and horrific connotation to them. The images enhanced the already created creepy and unsettling feeling that the commercial already had.


4.    How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?

When it comes to technical codes, the genre was reinforced by them using camera angles to their advantage. Throughput the opening there was a man making a doll and most of the time, the camera was a POV. And all it showed was the, and hands making the doll. And in some scenes, it wasn’t exactly a POV shot but it still never showed his face and only showed his hands. This might’ve been done to show the character and foreshadow a type of mystery or importance that he has throughout the film. They also used symbolic codes by showing a quote at the beginning of the sequence. This could symbolize what the film could mean and the lesson in it. This could also provide some background information.          

5.    How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

The film establishes an enigma from the outset but showing the man’s hands and not revealing his identity. By doing so they developed a creepy and mysterious figure that the audience will start to question as the movie carries on. They also develop the enigma of the doll. This is because while the doll is being made, they could question if it’s going to bring good or bad to the film and what its role is going to be.

6.    What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

  The main strategy that as used to appeal to the audience was the score. The score really engaged the audience and again added onto the terrifying feeling of the movie. Since the audience is watching the movie they obviously want to be scared, so by using this scary music, it will appeal to the audience by adding to the effect. They also use colors to scare the audience more. The whole opening sequence was in black and white and the titles were in red, so the black and white with red titles engage the audience into a scarier mood.

7.    How has technology been used effectively?

  In this opening sequence technology has been used very effectively. There were many transitions used in the sequence to go from one clip to another. They used lots of dissolves and slides to do so. They also used angles and shots effectively. There were lots of jump cuts used to show the passing of time when the man was making the doll. And the whole sequence the camera was either shot at a POV or eye-level angle. But overall technology was used very efficiently because it added to the genre and all aspects made sense to the sequence.

Title Research: 30 Days of Night

Today my group and I watched the opening sequence to the film '30 Days of Night'. We were able to watch this film using the website: Watch the Title. This website provided us with the resources necessary to further investigate the introduction of a film. I chose the film '30 Days of Night' because it perfectly matches the genre of horror that I plan to focus on throughout my next project. This film will be a great resource to look back on for future references. For instance, I may get stuck on what the next step is when filming my introduction to a movie, but luckily I will have an excellent website and resource to look back on. Now, let's move on to analyzing certain aspects of the film.
          The first thing I analyzed while watching this opening sequence was the number of titles displayed. The number of titles displayed during the opening sequence of the film totaled 18. These displays are used to give credit to the people who worked on the film. While the titles were being displayed, many photos were also being shown in the background. These photos portray a very terrifying and scary connotation. They were used to signify to the audience that the film will be scary and mysterious. It creates a sense of mystery as well because the audience wants to know more about what these horrifying photos are and what role they will play in the film. These photos appear to be crime scene photos or photos of corpses which gives the audience hints about the main theme and plot.
          Throughout this introduction, the genre is reinforced through scary symbols. For example, the music playing in the background creates terror along with the way that the pictures are shown on the screen. Additionally, technical codes were used to extenuate the horrific effect. For example, they used Polaroid photos displayed across the scenes to show the main setting. These photos are used to help tell the story. The camera work is also very shaky and sudden which is also used to create a more scary setting.
          The film establishes an enigma through these Polaroid photos. The person who is causing horror is unknown, however, their effects are shown. In the pictures, it shows people who are all dead and killed during the night. This keeps the audience interested because they want to know more about who is the killer.
          This film uses many effective strategies to appeal to the target audience. For starters, they leave many mysteries open which leaves the audience wanting to more. This is a great strategy to keep the audience wanting to watch more. Additionally, the producers make it clear what the setting and theme of the film will be. This ensures that the audience will not be confused and can enjoy the film.
          The introduction to this film did an excellent job of successfully integrating technology. They used many different shots, angles, and editing techniques. One shot that was used as a close-up. This shot was used to show the blue, cold faces of the people who were killed. You could see the look of horror on these people's faces as they were being killed and could do nothing about it. One movement that was used as a zoom. The zoom was used to show the line of Polaroid photos showing all of the dead people and then zooming into each photo to show the cause of the death. For example, some photos had gunshot wounds while others had stab wounds. The last way technology was integrated was through the editing in of the music. The music is what really extenuates the horror in the film. The music is very creepy and gets faster as something is about to be shown. It also signifies to the audience when something is going to happen.

Title Research: The Reaping

1) How many titles are displayed during the opening sequence film?

In the opening sequence, “The Reaping,” it includes 23 titles. Providing credits to the directors, editors, producers, and etc.

2) What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

Altogether, there weren’t many actual images shown in the sequence. Fairly, they replaced this aspect with small objects such as leaves, salt, pepper, and the legs of a frog.

3)What connotations do the images carry?

As mentioned before small objects replaced the perspective of images. However, they retained the same responsibility, to establish a perception of the movie. All objects illustrated in the sequence established the same feeling, mysteriousness, and creepiness. This connotation may give the audience a sense of fear or uneasiness.

4) How is the genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?

As for technical codes, a microscopic camera was used to film the salt/pepper. The seasoning didn’t seem too obvious instead it appeared to be tiny particles under a microscope as if you were a scientist conducting an experiment. As for the leaves and the legs of the frog, I’m not really confident what it symbolizes but I’m sure it would be introduced to us later on in the movie.

5)How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

The sequence somewhat foreshadows a summary of the film. By doing so, it establishes an enigma. Although we do not know exactly what happened in the film the opening sequence gives us a feel of what the movie will be about.

6) What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

In my opinion, the main element that caught my attention was the use of colors. The sequence started out with the color black but later on showed us red. This continued for the remainder of the sequence. The way the editors went back and forth between colors is what kept me engaged. Even though this is what appealed to me there are plenty of other components used to keep the targeting audience interested. Such as music, images, and editing.


7) How has technology been used effectively?

Throughout the whole sequence a song was playing, this song gives the audience the feeling that the film would be something creepy. In addition, technology was also presented in a variety of ways, including angles, editing techniques, sounds. Many of the snapshots were presented at a low angle. They transitioned from one another using techniques such as fade-in and fade-out.

Research title: Watch the titles website

Today, we are looking more in-depth on the website: Watch the Titles. This website is an excellent resource for interviews, feature films, TV shows, event titles, student projects, and video games. All of these will be essential when beginning our research for the project. While exploring through this website my group and I discovered many incredible things! The resources on this website allow us to browse through many different films and watch the introduction of selected movies. This allows us to have a better understanding when we begin to film and also access to an important resource that can be used throughout the project. Not only did we discover phenomenal features we also obtained lots of knowledge. My group and I learned the importance of the introduction to a film and how it contributes and affects a film. The introduction allows the audience to generalize what the film may be about. Without the introduction, the audience would not have a clear understanding of what the film is going to be about. Additionally, we also learned about what goes into the making of these films. We learned about this by watching interviews with films directors and producers. In these interviews, the main crew gives detailed descriptions to give people an inside view of everything that goes on. Overall, this website is such an amazing resource to have. We learned so much through research and exploration on this website that it will great to have for future references.

Title Research: Art of the title website

The Website, Art of the Title is a website that gives examples of different styles and designs that can be inserted into a film.  The titles in a film tell the audience of the actors or important jobs involved in the filmmaking process. The design and style of the title sequences are important because it frames the film. These titles normally open a film and give the audience a first impression of what the film will contain. The order and timing of the titles are also crucial to the feeling and purpose of the movie. Everything about a title has to make sense and fit perfectly into the movie. We are studying this website because we want to see examples of movie titles that work well with the movie itself. Seeing these examples will get our creative juices flowing for our final task. We will be able to grasp the idea of how titles should work in a movie. Since we will be making our final task a horror film, we will be researching examples of horror title sequences. The title sequences under the horror genre are often very different in styles but all have a creepy, horrific feel to them. We will need to see how certain horror film sequences look so that we can pick ours and make the look, order, and sequence specific to our movie. An example of this is that certain titles can pop up when an important character is in the scene. Or the titles can pop up in scenes that can foreshadow a certain character or event.  This website shows us the best of the best title sequences in the film. This will show us great title examples that our group can learn from. Researching from this website will ensure a perfect title sequence that flows and makes sense to the movie's purpose.

Research Genre: Us

After all of our film watching, we decided to analyze the film US as the last film. This film consists of the genre horror, thriller, mystery, and psychological horror. As done before, we are going to analyze the film using specific components.

1.Common CAMS in the movie
· Angles:
⁃ Dutch
⁃ Eye Level
·Movements:
⁃ Zoom
⁃ Trunk Shot
⁃ Hand-Held
⁃ Over The Shoulder
·Shots:
⁃ Over the Shoulder
⁃ Medium Close Up
⁃ Extreme Closeup
⁃ Long Shot
⁃ Two Shot

2. Common CLAMPS in the movie
·Costumes:
⁃ Red suits for the doppelgänger’s
⁃ Casual clothing for normal people
⁃ Torn clothing towards the end of the movie
·Lighting:
⁃ Dark
⁃ Light from fires
⁃ Artificial Lights
⁃ Normal lighting
·Actors:
⁃ Each person had a doppelgänger’s so the main characters plus the copied version of them
⁃ There were also some bystanders of the city who weren’t really included in the text
·Makeup:
⁃ The burned up face on one of the doppelgänger’s
⁃ The blood
⁃ Cuts, Scratches, and bruises from fighting
·Props:
⁃ The scissors.
⁃ The fire
⁃ Items used to kill the main characters
⁃ Items the main characters used to getaway
·Setting:
⁃ Although the setting in the film occurred in one city, it still managed to change a lot. Which includes the beach, the two houses, the car, and where the doppelgänger’s lived.

3. Common sound in the movie:
⁃ Dialogue
⁃ Non-Diegetic
⁃ Voiceover
⁃ Incidental Music
⁃ Sound bridge

4. Common editing in this movie:
⁃ Fade In/Fade Out
⁃ Shot, Reverse Shot
⁃ Eye-Line Match
⁃ Graphic Match`

5. Elements of Horror, Genre in the movie:
⁃ Bloody Scenes
⁃ The Fighting/Killing
⁃ Led to scary psychological thoughts

6. Elements of the genre the movie had that I liked
⁃ The film played out very well and realistic. Everything that happened in the film was very straightforward and relevant to what was going on. Incorporating the graphic scenes and the discussed elements also gave a boost to the horror that was going on.

7. Elements of the genre that the movie had that I didn’t like
⁃ Us was the type of movie that would leave you thinking of trying to find out the purpose of the movie. Due to the psychological horror, some pope may overthink too much and actually be truly frightened rather than being amused.

Research Genre: Boo!

We continued to further our research in the genre of horror by watching more films. For instance, the next movie we chose to analyze was Boo! A Madea Halloween. This film had both the genres, drama, and horror. Down below is a list of what we analyzed.

1. Common CAMS in the movie
· Angles:
⁃ High Angle
⁃ Low Angle
⁃ Eye Level
·Movements:
⁃ Tilt
⁃ Pan
⁃ Tracking
·Shots:
⁃ POV Shot
⁃ Medium Shot
⁃ Establishing Shot
⁃ Two Shot
⁃ Over The Shoulder

2. Common CLAMPS in the movie
·Costumes:
⁃ Throughout the movie, there were only two types of costumes. Casual clothing to match the setting of the house or either Halloween costumes for when the actors were at the frat party.
·Lighting:
⁃ Dark setting
⁃ A beam of life when the possessed girl appeared
⁃ Normal lighting when in the setting in the house
·Actors:
⁃ They weren’t any unordinary actors in the film, everyone incorporated as part of the norm. For example, the main character and her family, the frat boys and the people at the party, Madea and her friends, and the possessed girl.
·Makeup:
⁃ There wasn’t really any makeup shown in the film
·Props:
⁃ Flip Phone for Madea and her friends.
⁃ Trick-Or-Treat Baskets
⁃ Boxes
·Setting:
⁃ At the beginning of the film, the setting was at the main character’s house and the frat house. The setting then transitioned to the woods when the frat party was shut down. The characters then ended up to return to the house and fart party after the possessed girl appeared.

3. Common sound in the movie:
⁃ Dialogue
⁃ Sound motif
⁃ Ambient sound
⁃ Diegetic sound
⁃ Sound bridge

4. Common editing in this movie:
⁃ Cutaway
⁃ Insert
⁃ Dissolves
⁃ Eye-Line Match
⁃ Graphic Match`
⁃ Wipe

5. Elements of Horror, Genre in the movie:
⁃ Personally, the only thing that exemplified horror was when the kids were in the wood playing the game and the possessed girl appeared. The director incorporated both sound and editing to make the situation seem more surreal to enhance the scary effect.

6. Elements of the genre the movie had that I liked
⁃ Overall, the film was very amusing to watch. All factors analyzed above were incorporated into the film properly, this allowed the audience to have the true focus on what they were watching rather than focusing on errors the director could’ve made.

7. Elements of the genre that the movie had that I didn’t like
⁃ On behalf of myself, I don’t truly believe that this was a horror movie. Although the film incorporated the one scene where horror was exemplified, horror was not shown throughout the whole movie. The movie focused more on drama than it focused on horror.

Research Genre: IT

            Since my group and I decided to pick the genre of horror, all of us have started to watch some popular horror movies to gets more background knowledge of horror films. The genre of horror aims to create a sense of fear, alarm, panic, and dread for the audience yet many individuals love the thrill of horror films. The movie "IT" does just that. "IT" was a very popular horror film that came out on September 5th, 2017. 

Camera angles, movements and shots(C.A.M.S)

The movie "IT" includes many different types of camera angles. Some of these camera angles consist of:

• High Angle
• Low Angle
• Dutch Angle
• Eye level 

The movie "IT" also includes many different types of camera movements. Some of these camera movements consist of:

• Pan
• Tilt
• Zoon
• Hand Held

Lastly, when referring to C.A.M.S, the movie "IT" includes many different types of camera shots. These camera shots consist of:

• Long Shot
• Medium Shot
• Medium Close Up
• Close Up
• Point of View Shot
• Three Shot
• Two Shot
• Over The Shoulder Shot

Costumes, lighting, actors, makeup, props, setting(C.L.A.M.P.S)

When referring to C.L.A.M.P.S, the movie "IT" includes a variety of different costumes. Some of these costumes consist of:

• Casual clothing
• Scary clown costume
• Dirty and ripped clothing
• Somewhat formal

The movie "IT" includes lots of different lighting throughout the film. Some of this lighting consists of:

• Dark Lighting
• Dim Lighting
• Light focused on a single object
• Light from flashlights

Secondly, The movie "IT" includes lots of different actors. Some of these actors consist of:

• Pre-teen Kids
• Middle aged adults(kids parents)
• Main scary character(the clown)

Additionally, the movie "IT" includes a variety of makeup. Some of this makeup consists of:

• Fake dirt on faces and clothing
• The clowns face makeup
• Scrapes and cuts
• Fake Blood 

The movie "IT" also includes a variety of props. Some of these props include:

• A gun
• Flashlights
• Walky-talky
• Red balloons
• Paper boat

Lastly, the movie "IT" includes a couple different settings. Some of these settings include:

• Dark abandon house
• Outside on the street
• The sewer 
• Regular family house

          When referring to the sound in the movie "IT", the variety of the different types of sound intensifies the scariest scenes of the movie. The sound in "IT" creates suspense and horror for the audience. Some common sound that is displayed in "IT" includes diegetic sound such as the dialogue between characters and the characters foot steps as well as non-diegetic sound such as the suspenseful music and scary sound effects.

          The movie "IT" contains a variety of common editing. In order to keep the audience on the edge of their seats and wanting to know what comes next, the usage of jump cuts and fade outs were incorporated in the film. Other common editing was used such as cross-cutting, dissolve and eye-line match to create intense yet smooth transitions and to make the movie more understanding for the audience so that confusion doesn't occur. 

          Throughout the film, common elements of the horror genre were displayed. Some of these common elements such as dark lighting, dark ere places, suspenseful music, and unexpecting plot twists are commonly displayed and used in many other popular horror movies. These are some key elements in horror movies that if not used, those movies wouldn't be considered horror movies.

          The movie "IT" was a very interesting and suspenseful movie although very scary. There were many common elements of the horror genre that I liked that were incorporated in the film. I loved the sounds of many scenes in the movie as they made the movie very suspenseful and interesting. This informed me that something scary was going to happen but the jump scares were still unexpected. I also liked the different settings that were displayed in the film. The dark and eerie locations make the film much scarier as I felt like I was in the same location that was being displayed while I was watching the movie. 

          Last but not least, the one and only common element of the horror genre that was used in the movie "IT" that I didn't like was the excessive amount of jump scares throughout the film. There were so many jump scares within the movie that towards the end of the movie, I felt like I got used to the fright from jump scares as I didn't get scared when they happened from the over using of them throughout the entire movie. 

Research Genre: As Above So Below

The genre my group and I are researching is Horror. So, I chose the movie As Above So Below. This is a horror movie filmed in a documentary style. This film uses many different aspects to make the movie come to life and frighten the audience.


1.Common CAMS in the movie
·      Angles:
-High Angle
-Low Angle
-Eye Level
-Dutch
·      Movements:
-Zoom
-Flash Pan
-Handheld
·      Shots:
-POV Shot
-Medium Shot
-Medium Close Up
-Two Shot
-Long Shot

2. Common CLAMPS in the movie
·      Costumes:
-Casual clothing
-Dark, minimal colored clothing
-Sometimes clothing was dirty or torn
·      Lighting:
-Mostly dark
-if there was light, it was mostly centered on one person
- mostly artificial light like flashlights
·      Actors: There were not many extras in this film, and in most of the shots up until the end of the movie there was only at least 6 people per shot. Other than that, mainly only the main character appeared in the shots.
·      Makeup: Throughout the film all of the characters had minimal to no makeup and in scenes where it was necessary their faces were covered in dirt and sometimes minimal FX makeup.
·      Props: In the movie many props were used that added to the plot. For example, many old looking and ancient looking props that added to her search for the stone.
·      Setting: Most of the film took place in Paris, France because this is where the rising action, climax and whole end of the film took place. More specifically lots of the film took place in the catacombs which is an underground area in Paris but most of the set where they filmed was artificial because it would be near impossible to film in the real place.

3. Common sound in the movie:
·      Diegetic sound was used a lot in this film. This is because of the documentary feel that the movie has. So naturally most of the movie has real, natural sounds to it.
·      Also, there was lots of Non-Diegetic sounds to the movie. An example of this was the sounds of distant screaming or any paranormal sounding sounds. These were not real sounds but were produced later on in the filming process.

4. Common editing in this movie:
·      There were lots of fade outs in this film. This is used to create a suspense to the film and make the audience question what comes next. This is a way foreshadows the events that come after the black screen or what happened where they wanted the scene to cut out. An example of this is when they were down in the catacombs and a character was looking down into a large hole and suddenly was pushed and the screen went black.
·      Jump cuts were also used many times in this film to show the passing of time. These were used many times during the traveling sequences because they didn’t want to show a boring and dragged out process

5. Elements of Horror, Genre in the movie:

·      The sound: Throughout the film there were many examples of Diegetic and Non-diegetic sound and this is very popular in the Horror genre. These sounds are popular because of the elements of fiction and non-fiction in horror movies. Meaning many horror films while they have a a fantasy element to them, they want to also seem real to scare the audience.
·      The storyline of the film is also very similar to the storyline of many films in the horror genre. This is because there will be a problem, then some plot twists and eventually a solution.
·      The lighting was also very similar to the lighting of most horror films. The lighting of may horror films are usually dark and dull. This was very prevalent in this film. There was little to no lighting in this film and it adds to the scared, paranormal affect.

6. Elements of the genre the movie had that I liked
·      The setting the film appealed to me. I really liked the realistic feeling that the catacombs gave me even though I knew that they actually didn’t film in that place. I also really enjoyed the setting because it gave the film a darker feeling.
·      I enjoyed the sounds of the film because they weren’t over the top. In many horror films the sounds tend to be over the top and the music overbearing but that wasn’t the case in thus film. It seemed that all of the sounds used were necessary.

7. Elements of the genre that the movie had that I didn’t like
·      One element of horror that the film had that I didn’t enjoy was the use of jump scares. I felt that there weren’t enough in the movie and that if more were added it would make the movie scarier.
·      I also didn’t enjoy the ending of the movie. Overall, I enjoyed the ending but like in many horror films the movie left us without explaining the, major details. Many horror films do this, and I don’t like It because it leaves the audience with too much thinking to do.

Choosing our genre

During our research process, we researched two genres. My group and I didn’t like many popular genres which narrowed our decision down to research and pick from two genres. Out of the many existing genres, we all decided to conduct research on the genres comedy and horror. After researching lots of information on both genres, we all started to lean towards one genre out of the two we decided to research. As more research was conducted, comedy started to fall farther on the weaker side. When referring to the genre of horror, my group and I started to create better and more creative ideas. In result of this, the genre that we all decided to choose was horror as we believe that our product will be more creative and entertaining rather than if we decided to do comedy.

Genre Research On Comedy And Horror

Today my group and I researched many different genres. All of these genres were very interesting, but we narrowed it down to two of our favorites. Our top genre choices would be horror and comedy. I am going to begin by going in-depth on the research my group and I did on the horror genre first.
          Horror is such a great and fun film to analyze due to the hard work and skillful talent that goes into producing a film in this genre. Firstly we are going to analyze the camera angles that are most common in a horror film. Many horror films often use a bird's eye view/ high angles to create a mood of suspense or show terror/fear. This is done by showing the subject or object being looked down on as if they are trapped or stuck. The second commonly used camera angle used is a close-up. This shot is used to allow the audience to see the emotion that the character is showing. It also used to capture important details that would contribute to the audience's understanding of what is being feared. The third commonly used camera angle is tracking or panning shots. These shots show movement and are very effective in horror films to show that the character is being watched or followed. This also creates suspense because you are unable to clearly tell what is happening once the camera moves. The fourth camera angle commonly used is a long shot. Long shots show perspective and show where the horror will be occurring. Essentially, long shots establish the main filming setting used throughout the film. The fifth commonly used camera angle is a low angle. Low angles are used to make the subject seem more intimidating or powerful. By doing this, the person being looked down upon is seen as more weak and insignificant. The sixth and final commonly used camera angle is a tilted angle. Tilted angles add drama and tension to the scene by implying that something supernatural may be occurring. Additionally, this angle can be used to show the victim on the floor and the audience sees what they are seeing.
          Now we are going to look into the common mis-en-scene of a horror film which includes: costume, lighting, actors, makeup, props, and setting. First, we will be looking at what the costume consists of in a horror film. In a horror film, the producers want you to be able to distinguish the difference between the protagonist and the antagonist. In most horror films the protagonist will have a costume that consists of normal clothes to show that they are just normal, regular people. However, the antagonist's costume will be very obviously scary to show that this is the character that will be causing fear/horror to the protagonist. The costume of the antagonist usually includes a mask or something that signifies danger or horror such as all black or all white clothes. The costume is so important because it signifies to the audience who is good and who is bad. This also allows the audience to form a generalization of what that character is like based on what they are wearing. The second thing I am going to analyze is the lighting. Most of the time horror films use low-key lighting, which is usually dimmed or dark. This creates a more terrifying effect because it is difficult for the audience to see what is going to happen. When the lighting in a horror film is bright it is used to show a happy or normal time. This will usually fade into the low-key lighting to show that is about to become more horrific. This creates tension due to the mysteriousness of the dark atmosphere. The third thing being analyzed is the actors used. The actors being used is relatively simple. The actor for the protagonist is usually someone who is peppy and appears to be normal. The actor for the antagonist must be able to give off a scary and creepy vibe. This actor must also be very good at portraying different emotions. The fourth thing being analyzed is makeup. Makeup is so essential to a horror film. It allows for special effects to be created to extenuate the horror or a subject. Using makeup creates a scarier look for the antagonist that is important in creating fear throughout the scene. The fifth thing being analyzed is the props used. Props are very important because they add detail to what is happening or what is about to happen in that scene. In horror films, the props are mostly scary or used to terrify the audience. The final thing I will be analyzing is the setting. The setting is also important because it shows where the horror is taking place. It sets up the scene usually somewhere dark and old to create a mood of mystery. The setting helps the audience identify where the protagonist and antagonist are and what is about to happen. Now we are going to move on to how horror films are commonly edited. Editing is very important because it allows for special effects to be added in to add to the horror effect. Timing is so essential when editing because the music playing in the back must match up to the actions on the screen. The editors must be careful to match everything up to fully create the thrilling and terrifying effect throughout the film.
          There are many amazing horror films that have been made. Some of the most popular films in the horror genre include Jaws, It, Get out, The Conjuring, Psycho, In the Tall Grass, Eli, Halloween, Poltergeist, The Others, Us, Meet the Blacks, Friday the 13th. All of these films are great examples of films that have been successful in the horror film genre. Sounds used in horror films are usually very suspenseful and creepy. These sounds are used to extenuate the scene and make it become more thrilling. Without these sounds, the audience would not be able to identify when something is going to be happening.
          There are many advantages and disadvantages to horror films. Some things we enjoy about horror films is the thrill and all of the emotion and excitement that goes into them. While watching horror films the audience always feels a sense of anxiousness although they are protected by their safe environment. This allows them to enjoy the film rather than being scared. When watching horror films it's always a ride of emotions which is what makes us like these films the most. However, there are a few things that we do not enjoy about horror films. Although these factors are all great there are some downsides to horror films. This includes the fact that some of these films can really traumatize a person and scar them for life. Some of these films can actually introduce a new fear and terror into someone's life. Moving on from horror, now we are going to be researching on the comedy genre as well. This is also a great film genre to analyze because it also has many great factors to it. We are first going to look at common camera angles used in a comedy film. The first commonly used camera angle is a long shot. Long shots are used to show the dialog within the scene and also is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings. Additionally, zoom shots are also used a lot to show what the intended emotion is supposed to be. For example when something funny is about to be said the camera might zoom in so that the audience can clearly identify a change in the emotion of the scene.  Now we are going to look into the common mis-en-scene of a horror film which includes: costumes, lighting, actors, makeup, props, and setting. First, we will be looking at what the costume consists of in a comedy film. The costume is usually normal everyday apparel. Occasionally, a clown costume may be worn to signify a comedic scene, but most of the time it is just normal everyday clothes. Secondly, we are going to talk about common lighting. Soft lighting and candlelight are usually used. Lighting is used to fill light and backlight used to soften shadows from the key light and completely illuminate all of the actor's faces. Lighting is essential to determine the emotion in each scene.  Thirdly, we are going to discuss the actors that are used. The actors being used must have some sense of comedy. Without a sense of humor, the scene will not flow as well and appeal to the audience in a comedic way. Fourthly, we are going to discuss the make-up used. Most of the time no makeup is used because the actors are just in what a normal person would be in. Occasionally, as a comedic effect, a clown may be used which usually has very heavy and funny makeup. Fifthly, we are going to discuss the props that are used. Usually, in comedy, minimal props are used. The focus is supposed to be on the actor, but occasionally there will be a chair that they will sit on but that's usually it. Lastly, we are going to look at the setting. The common setting of a comedy is usually with lots of people at a place such as a restaurant or a house. There is also more than one person in the scene. Moving on to how comedies are edited. It is important that when editing the timing matched with what is being said. Most of the time the editors add funny sounds such as people laughing. This needs to match up with what is being said so that the audience can infer that something funny will be coming. There are many comedy films have been produced. These films include: Booksmart, Zombieland, Long shot, Parasite, Game night, and Shazam. These are all great examples of comedy films that have been very successful in the comedy genre.
          Moving on to the sounds used in comedies. In most comedies, there is a laughing sound in the background. This is added in by the producers to create a comedic effect and show that what was said was interpreted in a funny way. There are many advantages and disadvantages of comedies. Some advantages include that they are very funny and lively. When watching comedies there is usually a good atmosphere and feeling of excitement. Comedies give off a very happy and calm vibe and it is always enjoyable to watch them. However, there are some disadvantages. Comedies aren’t meant for everyone. Some people may not find the jokes funny which end up making the whole film unenjoyable. If what is being done is not funny the film will most likely appear to be boring for them to watch.

Genre research PowerPoint

Many steps went into the making of this fun and exciting genre PowerPoint presentation. The first thing to be done was to choose what genre we wanted to focus on. As a group, we all had a strong passion and liking for musicals. This made it very easy for us when deciding what genre to choose. After collectively decided to focus on musicals we started on our research. After about an hour of researching, we found all of the key information that we would need to put on each slide. As a group, we began to put all of the information from the research together and on to the PowerPoint slides. Once we were finished adding all of the information, it was time to start adding pictures and music. We found pictures that related to each slide added them in to the PowerPoint to create a creative effect. We also added in music that relates to a musical to really bring the PowerPoint together. The last thing we did was proofread to ensure that all of our information was not only correct but also grammatically correct. After all of these steps, we were finally ready to submit our wonderful and creative genre PowerPoint!

Creating a pitch

          After choosing what group to work with it was finally time to begin brainstorming ideas for the opening of the final task. These ideas would essentially then be turned into our pitch. After hours of creative thinking, we came up with many great ideas. Unfortunately, we knew we could only choose one of these so we narrowed it down to our two favorite ideas. It took us a long time to think of ideas that wouldn’t look too much like a trailer. We needed to ensure that our audience could easily tell that it was an opening to a movie. Our first pitch is about a tragic death that occurred and gives an insight to everyone who was with him that day in order to figure out which one of them was the killer. Our second pitch is about friends playing a dangerous game of truth or dare that results in the summoning of a demon that possesses one of the friends playing. As a group, we agreed that these two were the best pitches out of all the ones that we came up with. It was going to be difficult to choose which one would work best because they both have so much potential.
          To recap, the first pitch that my group and I came up with was about a tragic death that occurred and gives an insight to everyone who was with him that day in order to figure out which one of them was the killer. This is a very good pitch, however, we decided as a group that this would not be the pitch we would use for the final task. This pitch was good but when thinking in the long term we realized that it would look too much like a trailer. One of the guidelines of this opening is that it cannot resemble a trailer. We tried to find ways to incorporate ideas to make it seem more like an opening but found it very difficult. For this reason, it would be much more intelligent to go with the other pitch, seeing that this one would not fit the standards. We also realized that this would look too much like a movie we have already seen. Our opening should be original and not resemble a movie that people have already seen. This would defeat the purpose of creativity and originality throughout the project. All of these reasons justify why it would not be the most reasonable option to use this pitch.
          As a group, we collectively decided that the pitch about friends playing a dangerous game of truth or dare that results in the summoning of a demon that possesses one of the friends playing would be the better option. This pitch is a much better option because it has more of a backstory to it. It has so much potential in becoming an excellent movie intro. Not only would it make a great opening, but it also won't look similar to a trailer. It's important to ensure that the audience can clearly identify that it is an opening to a movie and not a trailer. As a group, we have many creative intentions that we plan to implement throughout the duration of this project. When we were brainstorming what to do for this pitch, each group member was able to contribute a unique idea to really tie the idea together. Additionally, this pitch is an original idea. In other words, we have not seen a movie that is based on this concept. We wanted to supply the audience that has not been done before and will also, be entertaining.
          After considering both pitch options we have decided to go with the pitch about friends playing a dangerous game of truth or dare that results in the summoning of a demon that possesses one of the friends playing. This is a much better pitch overall because it has more backstory and entertainment to it. It is also an original idea and will look like an actual intro to a movie.

Starting the Final Task

            Hello, my name is Nadia as you may already know. Throughout my filming journey, I obtained lots of essential knowledge. Today is the beginning of something awesome, the final task. The final task will be the longest and most important film created this year out of all the previous tasks. All of the previous tasks were created and developed through the power of teamwork. I’ve had the same group for all tasks that were assigned including the upcoming final task. All of the individuals in my group including myself, work extremely well together. My group consists of 4 individuals known as Jade, Katia, Sophia, and myself, Nadia. During the start of our filming journey at the start of the school year, we were familiar with one another however, we had never spoken to each other. Over the months that we worked together, we have all gotten extremely close and all share a unique bond. Working with my group initially makes my film making journey extremely fun and special to me as we create unique and exquisite products together.
            When coming into this class at the beginning of the school year, I knew slim to nothing about the studies of media and film. Almost all of my knowledge about media and film was provided to me by my teachers through this magnificent class. Everything I learned this year has made me capable of creating unique and creative products. The most important thing I learned this year was how to work and set up the equipment known as the camera and the tripod. I also learned and got used to using the technology that was needed to upload and edit footage. Lastly, I also learned how to edit the footage to create products that are not only entertaining but unique as well. When starting and completing the final task, all of these skills that I’ve learned this year will be used. Along with these skills, many talents will be used when creating the final task as well. My specific talents I will use during the final task are my artistic abilities and my acting skills. My artistic abilities will help me when creating the storyboard to make it look as professional as possible. Lastly, using my acting skills will make the final task look as realistic and interesting as possible.
            Before starting the final task, one essential thing I had to know was the definition of a pitch. Being able to understand the concept of a pitch was very important before starting the final task or failure will occur. There are many different types of ways that a pitch can be explained. A pitch is simply a Hollywood term to describe an idea where a film is encapsulated. I pitch is 25 words or less constructed in one sentence. My group and I decided to brainstorm pitch ideas together. Some of us didn’t agree on many pitch ideas so we had to find a solution and decide on something that we all liked. We finally came to a conclusion to base our final task on the theme of horror. We all agreed that horror films can be filmed in a dark and creepy place. This would make it convenient for my group and I as this setting can be easily created with a dark house and creepy music.
            My group and I worked long and hard to create the start of a well-constructed pitch. This shows my group and I using teamwork to our advantage and creating productivity.