Audience and Institution Practice Essay

Assess the importance of marketing in the media area you have studied.

Marketing plays such an important role in the film industry. I personally feel that the usage of marketing is what allows these films to truly become successful. Most of the time, the way I hear about a new film is through the marketing techniques used. Cross promotion is one of the most well-known marketing tools in the film industry. This is a great way to bring attention to both companies through something that the audience enjoys.

Marketing can be seen throughout most films, whether it is in the trailer or in the film itself. One of the most well-known examples of marketing that I have seen is in the movie Despicable Me. This movie opened at the number one spot at the box office and pulled in approximately $56.3 million, making it the third-biggest opening grossing for an animated film. This film quickly became popular for these little yellow creatures shaped like fire hydrants, known as minions. These minions actually represent corporate synergy at the company Comcast, which is one of the world’s largest media conglomerates. Comcast wanted in on this film, as they knew it would be a great way to promote their company. As the filming industry continues to rise, companies in other industries, such as Comcast, start to realize the value in connecting their company to the new and improved world of television and film. When further analyzing this, I can see how important the use of marketing is for all companies involved. In this case, I can see that the usage of marketing allowed Comcast to lead both the distribution and development industries by bringing more attention to their company through something that almost everyone knows of. I can also see the benefits of marketing brought to Universal, who produced the film. The popularity of the minions led Universal to create another popular film that just focused on the minions. In this film specifically, we can see that the usage of marketing was very important in creating the popularity and success that this movie had in the film industry.

Additionally, marketing can also be used to bring attention to the film by advertising in different stores or on social media platforms. In the movie Beauty and the Beast, I saw many different forms of marketing used to help bring more success to the film. When this film was released Disney teamed up with different companies to bring in awareness. They teamed up with a store called Hot Topic, which is commonly known for having younger shoppers, to release t-shirts, jewelers, and mugs. They also teamed up with Target to release Beauty and the Beast costumes for children. This is an effective marketing technique because it not only brings attention to the store but also to the film. When younger kids see their friends wearing a shirt about a movie they liked, they may be intrigued to watch it and also buy the merchandise for themselves. Targeting stores with generally younger crowds of shoppers is a great way to get your film to be recognized. Additionally, Disney advertised on a social media platform known as Twitter. This was done through exclusive stickers and photos released only to this app. This is a very effective marketing technique because as more people retweet these stickers and photos, more attention is drawn towards the film. This marketing technique enticed me to watch this film. I saw some of my favorite celebrities retweeting these photos and using these stickers, which inspired me to watch the movie as well. Overall, we can see that the use of advertising in stores and on social media platforms is an effective way to rapidly spread the word about your film.

Additionally, one of the most common forms of marketing for a film is through cross promoting. When I watched one of the most well-known Marvel films, known as Black Panther, I saw many uses of cross promoting. This was used to help bring worldwide attention to this film. This film opened globally in February of 2018 and made $361 in profits in its first week alone. One of the reasons for this was because of the many cross promotions used. For starters, the debut of the trailer was made during an NBA finals game. This is an excellent marketing technique because there were millions of people watching this game that would likely be interested in seeing it. Additionally, Kendrick Lamar was the main feature of the Black Panther soundtrack. To bring attention to the film, he performed at the College Football Playoff National Championship Game and finished off the performance with one of the sounds from the movie soundtrack called “All the Stars”. This was a very efficient technique as this game had almost 21,646,000 viewers. Marvel used this as a marketing technique because they knew how many people would be watching this game. Additionally, anyone who likes Kendrick Lamar for this music would be more intrigued to watch the film knowing that he plays a role. Lastly, Marvel partnered with Lexus, which is a well-known car brand, to reveal a special and unique commercial for the 2018 Lexus LS 500 that was inspired by the movie. In this commercial, you can see the Black Panther on top of the car with special effects added. This is a good marketing technique as it brought more attention to the film anytime someone viewed the commercial. Overall, the use of cross-promoting is one of the most valuable techniques for marketing a film.

Continuously, some films use different strategies to create excitement before the movie is even released. This is a successful marketing technique used to keep us captivated as to what is coming next. Universal Studios teamed up with many different companies to make the movie Jurassic Park become more recognized before the premiere. For starters, the original Jurassic Park movies were aired on bigger channels like NBC, before the release of Jurassic World. This is the main reason why I watched this film. After seeing the Jurassic Park films, I was very interested to see how different the Jurassic World film would be. This a marketing technique used by producers to leave the audience wanted to know what comes next in the sequel. After finishing the Jurassic Park movies, the people would be captivated to see the new and improved movie that would be releasing soon. In addition to this, Universal teamed up with Sony to create a behind the scenes commercial with some of the more well-known actors. This commercial was shown on some of the more popular tv channels to bring excitement to the release of this film. Not only did Universal use essential marketing techniques before the release of the film, but they also continued to market their film after the release. Universal partnered with bigger companies such as Legos, Mike and Ike, and Dairy Queen to create Legos based on the movie, dinosaur-shaped candy, and a Jurassic Park blizzard with the name of the film printed on the cup. One of the main reasons I watched this movie was because I saw the advertising for it on the side of my ice cream cup. This marketing technique is intentionally used to target the attention of the younger crowd. The Legos, ice cream, and candy are all great ways to quickly grasp the attention of children who would be interested in watching the movie. Overall, using different strategies of marketing is a great way to create hype for your film.

Lastly, marketing for films can be seen through special events. In the movie Furious 7, Universal Studios marketed through the use of special events. The trailer for Furious 7 was released by having a special Red Carpet event that allowed fans to watch the trailer and watch questions. The producers also created a website for the film Furious 7 that had contests, pictures, videos, and information. In addition to this, Universal CityWalk had a movie marathon at their movie theatre which featured the first look at one of the cars used in the movie. They also introduced the addition of the new ride based on the movie called “Fast and Furious Supercharged”. Before going to Universal over the summer, I had never heard of this movie. After I went on this ride, I was eager to watch the movie as soon as I got home. Now, not only did Universal Studios market through special events, but they also partnered with other companies as well. Furious 7 teamed up with a phone brand known as OPPO, which hosted promotional events for the movie. Furthermore, Furious 7 partnered with Forza Horizon 2 to release a video game based on the movie. The use of marketing used throughout this film demonstrates the importance of getting your film attention. Most film companies utilize many different strategies to get their film to be heard. I feel as if these marketing techniques are extremely important in having a successful film.

Conclusively, the usage of marketing is extremely important for a film. After looking at the many different types of marketing techniques, I can see how important these are for a film. The usage of marketing plays a huge role in the success and popularity of a film. The movies that have been most successful in the film industry today have exhibited numerous ways of marketing their film, allowing it to reach its full potential.

24 Extract Essay

                        24 Extract Essay

               

               The director wants the audience to feel a sense of excitement and suspense as more of the story begins to uncover who this woman is. This mostly relates to the thriller and action genres. We can see the thrill as the audience feels lots of suspense and excitement as they are eager to know more about what this woman has done. Additionally, we can also see the action through acts of violence from Jack such as when he flips the table or slams the chair the woman is sitting in against the wall. The main message that can be seen throughout the extract is that it is not always easy to have patience in potentially dangerous situations. It is hard to stay calm when you know something bad could occur at any second. In life-threatening situations, anger cannot always be controlled as easily. As this anger continues to build up, more violence and rage occur as an outcome.

                In the first scene, the author uses different techniques to begin introducing the plot and theme. The first technique was an over the shoulder shot. This shot was used to show the expressions of anger that Jack has as he tries to get more information out of the woman tied up. This allows for the audience to understand that Jack is directly talking to her. Even though it appears as if he is looking at the camera, the audience can infer that he is specifically speaking to her because her shoulders appear slightly in front of the camera. This is an excellent technique because it focuses directly on Jack, allowing the audience to form interpretations of his expressions and how he may feel. Another technique used to help introduce the plot and theme was crosscutting. Crosscutting was used to show the difference between the two main settings. From this, the audience can infer that one room may be the observation room, while the other is the interrogation room. The director used cross-cutting to show what was happening at the same time during the same scene just in a different location. This helps the audience to better understand where this woman is and what is happening around her. The usage of this technique adds to the director’s vision as it creates thrill and suspense as the audience starts to learn more about who these people are and who they work for.

                Moving on to the second scene as more of the plot begins to unravel. The first technique used was a long shot. A long shot was used to show the audience that this woman is tied up to a chair. In the first scene, only close-up shots were used, so the audience was unaware that this woman could be dangerous. It adds suspense as we can begin forming interpretations of what this woman may have done given the context of the “bomb”. The use of this technique adds on to the director’s vision of creating thrill and suspense as the audience may have been shocked to find out that she was not just sitting in a chair for her own good. Another technique seen was through the usage of dialogue. Dialogue gives the audience a better understanding of how this woman may have ended up in this situation. It gives an insight into her past and what she may be seeking. By referencing to “Versailles” we can see that she is trying to escape from someone or something. This adds on to the director’s vision as it creates thrill and suspense as the audience becomes more eager to find out what she is trying to uncover or hide from. The last technique used in this scene to help build on the plot was diegetic sounds. Diegetic sounds allow the audience to truly get an insight as to what is happening in the scene. Because these sounds were natural to the scene it may have more of a connection with the audience. The loud screeching of the chair being pushed against the wall and the slamming of the table shows how violent and angry Jack really is. This adds on to the director’s vision as it increases the level of action and violence as the theme starts to develop.

                Lastly, in the final scene, the main theme is uncovered as more details are revealed. The first technique used was a split-screen. This is an editing technique used to show two scenes on the screen at the same time. This was used to show the professionally dressed man running out of the observation room and into the interrogation room to prevent Jack from choking the woman tied up to death. The usage of a split-screen allowed the audience to see what was happening in both rooms, as the tension increases. This adds on to the director’s vision because it creates thrill as the audience begins to wonder if the professional man will reach the room in time to get Jack to let go of her. The next technique used in this scene was the setting. In this scene, both of the main settings (the observation and interrogation room) come together. This shows the audience that these people work together. At first, it may have been hard to identify this because of the way that Jack suspiciously looks at the camera. The audience may have figured that he was not supposed to be in the room at that time. As time goes on, we can see that these men may work together for some type of crime-stopping agency. This adds on to the director’s vision of creating thrill because the audience is excited to put the pieces together and figure out what these guys are trying to do based on the information they try to get from the woman. The last technique used in this scene was the actors. The main actors included Jack (the angry man), the woman tied up, and the two observers. Few actors were used so that the audience would focus more on the dialogue. The dialogue was so important, so the director did not want to include too many actors and take the attention away from the conversation between Jack and the woman. This adds on to the director’s vision as it creates suspense that maybe not many people are around her because she is highly dangerous.

                Conclusively, the director’s main vision is to create suspense ­and excitement for the audience. This is done through the usage of many different techniques such as over the shoulder shots, cross-cutting, long shots, dialogue, diegetic sounds, split-screens, the setting, and the actors. The director wants the audience to be able to identify the theme/message that it is not always easy to have patience in potentially dangerous situations. This message is developed throughout the use of many details and lots of action as well. Overall, my analysis closely relates to the director’s message as I discussed how the usage of action and thrill helped to build up this plot and overall theme.

               

Creative Critical Reflection for the Final Task

          The Creative Critical Reflection was the last and final step in completing the final task. To wrap everything up I had to create a video of myself discussing some important topics. This was a 12-15 minute long video with lots of information included. I went in-depth on four key points that played a huge role throughout this whole project. This was such a fun experience because it felt like I was on a talk show. It was also a lot of fun to edit because I could be as creative and unique as I wanted to be. I got to add in so many cool pictures from my film and from online to make the interview come to life. I also got to add in the music that was played at the beginning of my horror film. I added in the music at the end of my talk show to wrap everything up and end on a peaceful note. This also creates a connection between my film and the reflection video.
          This process took a lot of time. I had to re-shoot each question multiple times to ensure that there were no mistakes and that the audio could be clearly heard. It’s important that you film somewhere with good and natural lighting as it makes the scenes much easier to see. Adding in photos was very fun, however, this took a lot of time as well. For each new topic, I had to find the photo and then import it into iMovie. Once they imported I had to ensure that it would appear as a split-screen so that the audience had some type of context with what I was saying. I then had to place the photo in the right spot and trim it to the right amount of time. If photos were placed in the wrong spot it wouldn’t correspond with what I was saying and may confuse the audience. Overall this process was a lot of fun to experience. I got to see what it would be like to be in an interview or on a real talk show. The knowledge I gained from this was so important and can be very useful in future experiences.

Final Task: Horror Film

          This was the last film that I made with my group members for this class. I was so excited to film this because I knew how fun it was going to be. My group and I all loved the horror genre. It is such a fun and thrilling genre because it has so many aspects to it. We knew from the beginning that horror would be the best topic to focus on. We had so many ideas, but sadly we knew we could only choose one. We thought a lot about which idea to choose. When we finally selected a topic we knew that we had chosen the right idea because it fit best with the genre. We were so excited to film this because in the horror genre you can be very creative.
          After filming this, I still managed to learn more information. This time I learned more about the editing process. Because this was an introduction to a film there had to be title sequences displayed on the screen for specific amounts of time. I was unaware of how to do this, so I had to figure out how to teach myself. Luckily, this was a very easy thing to learn. It's important to be able to know how to do this for future experiences. Overall, this project was a lot of fun. Throughout each task, I learned so much that was not only useful for this class but can also be applied to future experiences. I am so glad I got the chance to learn so many new things and have a lot of fun throughout the process.

Music Video Project

          After learning a lot from the previous film, I was ready to film again. I was very excited to begin this project because these types of videos have always interested me. Instead of filming a commercial, we were instructed to create a music video. All of my group members enjoyed music videos, so we knew this would be a very fun project. When deciding what song to use my group and I all agreed on the same song. Surprisingly we all shared a love for an artist known as Khalid. In particular we all enjoyed one of his most well-known songs called "location". This was the perfect song to use, as it creates such a calming and enjoyable vibe. As a group we all knew this would be the right song to choose because it had such a good message to it. We had so many ideas and were so excited to begin filming.

          Because we already had experience with filming there were less issues this time around. We used our own cameras to film to ensure that our clips wouldn't be blurry. We also learned to give ourselves lots of time to edit so that no mistakes were made. I did not think it was possible to learn more, but to my surprise I obtained lots of new information. The most important thing that I learned was to film each scene multiple times. Luckily we did this because in one of our scenes the clip cut off. If we had not filmed multiple scenes, we would not have been able to use this scene. It's always important to have backups just in case any of the footage gets messed up. I'm glad I was able to learn more information to assist me in the next project. It is important to learn from your mistakes to become better in both the filming and editing processes. Overall, this was such a fun film to make and I truly enjoyed every second of this process.

Gatorade Commercial Project

          This was the first film that I ever created for this class. In this project, we created a thirty-second long commercial. This was such a fun experience. I was able to learn essential knowledge from it. My group and I decided to make this commercial about Gatorade. We chose this topic because we thought it would be the most fun idea to create a commercial out of. Because this was our first film it took us a while to grasp the concept. We had to re-shoot many scenes because the camera was difficult to operate. Once we learned how to use the camera is was a very fun experience.
          I learned so much from the editing and filming process that I was able to apply to the other projects throughout the year. The first thing I learned was to film using our own cameras and not the ones issued by the school. When using the school camera, all of our scenes were very blurry. This deteriorates the quality of the film, as it is harder to make out what is going on in each scene. This was a good lesson to learn because moving forward it would be much better to not have blurry footage. Additionally, exporting footage from the camera was a very time-consuming process. It took a lot of time away from editing because we needed to make sure each scene exported properly. Overall, the knowledge I gained from this project helped guide me in the projects that came after. If I hadn't learned from my mistakes, I would not have been able to produce an excellent film in the end. I'm glad that these mistakes were made because in the end my commercial still looked very realistic and creative.

Re-edit Blog: COVID-19 Continues to Spread Globally

          Unfortunately, my group and I were unable to re-edit our film due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19. COVID 19 is very dangerous and contagious, especially to younger kids and senior citizens.

Individuals have been recommended to stay indoors and to prevent going out as much as possible. Schools have announced that they will remain closed until at least the beginning of May to prevent this disease from spreading even more. My group and I decided that it would be best to follow orders and stay indoors. Although we were upset, we knew that this was in our best interests. Luckily, our film did not need much re-editing as there were only minor issues that could easily be fixed. As a group, we decided to go on a group call as this would be much safer than risking our health. On the group call, we discussed what needed to be done to put the final touches on our film. We spent lots of time brainstorming and collaborating ideas until we finally came up with the best solution.

          As a group, we collectively agreed that our film already met the necessary requirements. There were a few minor issues with the title sequences that would only require about 5 minutes of editing. There was no need for us to meet together to fix such a simple issue. While staying on the call, each group member took a different task to make the best use of our time. Nadia's task was to make sure all of the transitions we used were smooth and fit with each scene. Katia's task was to make sure none of the scenes were blurry and that the scenes were in the correct order. Sophia's task was to make sure the title sequences were in the correct order. My task was to make that the title sequences remained on the screen for the correct duration of time.

Re-shoot Blog: Interference with a Global Issue

          Unfortunately, my group and I were unable to re-shoot any of our scenes. This was not any of our group member's fault as we were all prepared to film again. The previous week, my group members and I all got on a group call and decided on a day to re-shoot. After deciding on a day that worked with all of our schedules, we were very excited to film again. However, unexpectedly a disease known as the Coronavirus (COVID-19) began to spread globally. As a result of this, the school was shut down and orders were made to remain inside of our households. Again, my group members and I got on a group call and discussed what would be best for our film and ourselves. After lots of thinking, we decided that it would not be worth risking our safety at this moment. All of our scenes were very well put together and honestly, did not really need to be re-filmed. It would not be worth risking our health just to re-shoot one scene that had a minor mistake.
          My group and I used this group call very wisely to brainstorm ideas about our film. We knew that we would not have time to re-film before the due date because of the sudden outbreak of this disease. The scene that we had planned to re-film only had a simple lighting mistake. I thought back to when we previously filmed and remembered an important detail. During the filming process, we shot each scene multiple times in case any issues occurred. Luckily, we had filmed this exact scene in a room with better lighting. After looking through what seemed like thousands of videos of deleted footage, I finally found the one I was looking for. This scene was perfect, as there was a slight bit more amount of light in the room. It was just the right amount of light to still create the horror effect we wanted. This worked out so much better, as none of my group members including myself had to risk our general health or safety. Throughout this all, we still managed to fix the small problem and produce a great film overall.

Editing Blog: Adding In Music

          Finally, my group and I were on the last stage of editing. We were very excited to finish editing and to see the final product. There were still a few things that needed to be fixed, but this did not take much time. First, we had to set the timed duration of the title sequences. We needed to ensure that each sequence appeared on the screen for the specific scene and then disappeared when the scene was done. It was important that only one sequence was shown at a time, to allow for less confusion. This was a very simple fix that involved pressing on the title and setting the time that we wanted it to be shown. After this, we moved on to making sure the transitions between scenes were smooth as well. It is important that the audience can tell when a change in scene has occurred. This will also allow the audience to see when a different shot/angle is being used. For example, switching from a scene with an over the shoulder shot to a scene with a low angle to add suspense and show what that character was seeing.
          The last thing I did during the editing process was add in the music. My group and I had to ensure that this music was copy-right free as it was one of the requirements for our film. I took many steps to be certain that our music met this specific requirement. When searching for music to use, I did a detailed search on YouTube and the internet. After searching through many songs, my group and I finally decided that we had found the right song. We then edited this copy-right free song into the beginning of our film. This music would be played when the title sequences were being displayed. The song we chose was absolutely perfect and greatly matched what was being shown in the scenes. It was also used to extenuate the true horror genre. By starting out with a very happy song, the audience would be more surprised/thrilled when the horrific events occur. We did this by stopping the music when the plot begins to occur. For example, the music plays as the friends are gossiping and having a good time. However, when the music cuts off the scenes begin to get scarier and darker as the Ouija Board is brought out. After all of these exiting steps, my group and I wrapped up our editing process and finally got to watch our amazing film!

Editing Blog: Adding Title Sequences

         After the exporting process, it was finally time to put the clips in order. Unfortunately, this process took a long time. This caused me to be a little setback. Luckily, my group and I edited very early just in case any issues like this occurred. Once all of the clips were on the software I got right to work. It is very essential to the film that all of the clips are in order. If the clips aren’t in order, the film will not make any sense to the audience. Luckily, some of the clips were already in order. A few clips were out of place, but this was an easy fix. We simply had to drag the clips into the correct order.
           This was an easy process of checking to see what the clip was and adding in to correspond with the other scenes. After this, we moved on to adding the title sequences. Adding the title sequences was much more intricate and time-consuming. It took a while to make sure that we had the title slides in the right order with the corresponding scene. We did this for each of the title sequences that were required to be in the film. These title sequences would be shown throughout the beginning of the film in different scenes. The order of these sequences was very important as well as it would make more logical sense. These are used to give credit to the crew and actors of the film. Additionally, they are used to make this film seem more realistic and add more thrill to the genre. Adding in the title sequences truly allows the film to begin to come together and reach its full potential.

Editing Blog: Exporting and Trimming Scenes

          After finishing the filming process, my group and I were very excited to move on to the editing process. The first thing we did was go through all of our footage. I wanted to ensure that we selected the best footage. For most scenes, my group and I filmed many shots. This is why we needed to go back and choose which scenes turned out the best. It took us a lot of time to delete the footage that was not necessary. We had to pick the scenes that not only turned out the best but also fit the genre and plot of the film. After this, I began to trim the clips. I needed to make sure that my film met the strict time requirements. It took lots of time and perfection to meet the time requirement and make sure the scenes fit as well.
          However, there were a few issues while trying to meet the time requirement. Our time kept going over the maximum amount. As a group, we collectively decided that we had to cut the less important scenes from the film. After cutting these scenes we perfectly fit the requirements and had no more concerns. After this step, I began to import the footage. Instead of using Pinnacle Studios, my group and I used iMovie. Using iMovie was much easier, considering that we filmed using our iPhones. We had some trouble importing all of the footage due to the computer we used. However, this was resolved by using a different computer to export. After we switched computers, the export process went very smoothly and all the problems were resolved.

Peer Review Blog

          While reviewing this film there were many aspects of it that I enjoyed. Overall, the film did a great job of establishing and making sure the audience could clearly identify the genre. Additionally, they created a sense of mystery at the end to allow the audience to want to know what comes next. The aspect that I enjoyed the most about the film was the scary creature shown throughout the scenes. This creature not only looked so realistic, but it also added great value to the mystery and horror. At the beginning of this film, the creature is shown lurking around the house. As the scenes go on this creature starts to become more noticeable. For example, you can see the creature lurking in the back of a scene with the main character brushing his hair. As the scenes go on, the audience begins to form ideas of what this creature could be. This was an excellent technique to keep the audience wanting to know what will comes next and what exact significance this creature has.

          While reviewing the film, there was one main aspect that I felt needed to be adjusted. This would be the lighting. In most of the scenes, it was very difficult to see what was going on. Even though the darkness was intended to create a horrific effect it was very difficult to comprehend what was happening in each scene. Adding a slight amount of light would allow the audience to get a better visual. This would also give us a better understanding of what is going on like it for less confusion. For example, a flashlight or lamp could be used. Additionally, scenes could be shot in a room with little natural light coming in. A closet or bathroom is a great room to film in as they usually don't have much light coming in. Using these techniques would allow for better visualization, while still creating a horror effect.

Filming Blog: Genre Reinforcement Throughout the Film

          My group and I wanted to ensure that it was clear for the audience to identify the genre throughout the film. It's important to establish this genre to allow for better comprehension of what is going on. I made sure to take this into account during the filming process. While filming, my group and I took many steps to create a more mysterious and horrific effect in some of the scenes. In the scenes where we wanted to create a mood of suspense, we made sure to film in a dark location. These locations include the bathroom, closet, or laundry room. These are great locations to film because there is no light coming into the room. We then used the flashlights on our cell phones to light up the room. Using our flashlights allows for less to be identified in each scene. This creates horror as the audience is unaware of what is going to happen next.
          Another thing I did while filming to ensure that the genre was clearly established was the usage of props. During the most horrific scenes, we included props to frighten the audience and extenuate the scenes. In most of the scenes, we used an Ouija Board. An Ouija Board is a very commonly known scary board game. We used this board to show the audience how scary the scene could actually get. Without having the Ouija Board in the scene, the audience would not be able to identify that something is about to happen in the scene. Additionally, we shot the scariest scene in the bathroom. This was because we wanted the girl to disappear by being possessed. We were able to do this through the usage of a shower curtain. We had one actor go behind the shower curtain and pull the other actor when the lights flickered. This created a mysterious effect as it is unknown to the audience who the antagonist is.

Filming Blog: Overview of the Scenes

          After overcoming the issue that we faced with not having enough people, we were finally able to film. Luckily, we resolved this issue and found a way to film around it. Firstly, we began to film our scenes. These scenes would show the title sequences. These were very casual and simple conversational scenes. For example, these scenes would include sitting on the couch and talking or walking through the front door to establish the location. These scenes were also used to give background to the audience about the plot and what was going to happen. Throughout these, we also included tracking shots, over the shoulder shots, and an establishing shot. These shots are important as they allow the audience to identify a change in the scene. It also adds a more creative effect to each scene and the film overall.

         After filming these shots, my group and I moved into filming the next scenes. These scenes were used to show the moments that led up to the horrifying event. These scenes were very scary and mysterious. For example, one of the scenes would be in a dark scary room with the Ouija Board. Another scene would show the girl being possessed. These scenes were used to make it clear to the audience what was going on and hint to what may happen. In these scenes we used high angles, low angles, pans, tilts, medium shots, and close-ups. Using these shots is a great technique to make the film really come together and reach its full potential. Overall, the film process was very fun and exciting. We had a few setbacks, but we quickly recovered in order to stay on schedule.

Filming Blog: Resolving an Issue

          My group and I decided that we would all film on Sunday. This was a day that worked with all of our schedules. This would allow us to have more time to film and edit. Everything was going as planned, until we ran into a dilemma. The people outside of our group, who agreed to be in our film, could no longer film with us on Sunday. All four of them had somewhere to be, but said that they could film the next weekend. However, we did not want to wait until last minute to try and get everything done. If we waited until the next weekend, one of our actual group members may have been busy. This left us in a difficult situation, as we needed them in order for our scenes to work. We were determined to finish all of our filming that weekend so that we could resourcefully use class time to edit our film and allow it to reach its full potential.
         We knew we had to figure out a way around this because we may not get another opportunity to film. As a group, we collectively brainstormed different ideas. It was very important to us that the scenes made sense not only for us, but for the audience as well. If the scenes aren't comprehendible to the audience it will be harder to follow along and identify the genre being used.We went back into our script that we had previously planned out and began to make edits to it. We needed to make edits and remove some of the scenes that required more people, due to the difficult situation that we faced. We collectively came up with amazing and creative ideas that would work with the amount of people we had to film with. It took lots of thinking and analyzing to finally come up with the final edits for each scene. As a group, we were very relieved that one bump in the road didn't affect our whole film. Luckily, my group works very well together and we were still able to produce an excellent film, regardless of a small issue that occurred.

Filming Blog (extra) : Scheduling and Planning

          Unfortunately, my group and I were unable to film last weekend. However, we used this time resourcefully to plan and schedule for when we are able to film. This was very important as it will make the overall filming process much easier and smoother. We spent many hours on a group call discussing and reviewing each scene from the storyboard. We did this to ensure that everyone was on the same page and that there was no confusion throughout the group. We also went back and double-checked that we included many different angles and shots into each scene. While doing this, we also added things that we felt would fit into each scene. This allows for much more time to film, as we will not be worried about making sure we included these important factors. As a result of doing this, my group and I will not waste any valuable time. This will be so helpful, as it will help reduce the amount of time we spend filming and allow for more time to edit.

          One of the main things we focused on during this group call was the props and setting. We brainstormed many great ideas about what should be used for props and what settings we should include in our film. We also discussed how we could integrate special effects to allow each scene to reach its full potential. Each member of the group agreed to bring certain props as well. We wanted to ensure that we would have everything that's necessary to film in order to make the filming process less stressful. Props and special effects are important as they will extenuate the horror and fully bring out the genre. We also discussed what settings where we will be filming. We wanted to ensure that the audience could tell a change in the scene. It's important that the audience can follow along with what is happening in order for the plot to make sense. Overall, it is very important that we took the time to plan and schedule. As a result of this, my group and I are much better prepared and organized and ready to film as soon as possible.

Planning Blog: Storyboard

   This is our storyboard. This storyboard will help out when it comes to the filming and editing process. Like in the past, the storyboard will act as a step-by-step guide for filming and editing.  For example, while we are filming we can look back at our storyboard to see what camera movements we wanted and in what scene or when to use them. We could also use the storyboard for the editing process. The storyboard could help us to remember what we wanted our titles to look like and what type of visuals we want. Overall, the storyboard helps to remind our group of our initial ideas for the film. This is helpful because we have found that sometimes while we film or while we edit we forget what we wanted and in what scene. So the storyboard helps us with this. The storyboard also helps us see if we made any changes when we finish our film or what stayed the same.

Planning Blog: Schedule, Location, Participants, and Health

In this presentation, the aspects schedule, location, participants, and health are focused. Within our schedule, we chose as a group what days will be best for us to record. As for the location after deliberating thoroughly we decided that it will be best to film at  Sophia’s house. Furthermore, we decided on how many people we would need to conduct the film. We chose three people for our group then three extras from another, the total will result in a great representation for a group of friends. Lastly, we discussed things we can do to make sure we are safe. Which included simple things like transportation. Exchanging views about these four aspects will be beneficial to us in the future, we won’t have to replan or rethink of anything. This will prevent wasting time from our filming process.

Planning blog: Title Slides

In this google presentation, my group and I spoke about the titles of our movie. We spoke about where they would be, what they would look like and more aspects of the titles. Examples of this include color, size, and structure of the titles. This is all included in the presentation. We also came up with the name of our movie. This posed some difficulty because we had our whole script but couldn't think of a title. We wanted our movie title to correctly summarize our movie but at the same time not give the plot away. Eventually, we came up with the title. This presentation will be very useful to our group because we can use it as a reference when we are editing. And will remind us of our original title ideas if they change as the process goes on.

Sound Script for the Final Task

In this Google Slides Presentation group and I wrote out a sound script. This is a script that discusses the different sounds that would be used in our final task video. The sound effects discussed correspond with the shooting script. It is very essential to have this all planned out in order to have a smoother filming process. This script acts as a general outline for all the sounds that would be included. My group and I selectively picked out the sounds that we thought would work best with each scene. We made sure that the sounds would be able to contribute to the overall theme being horror. These sounds also allow the audience to better interpret and understand what is going on. For example, when the beat increases in the background music, the audience can assume that something is about to happen in the scene. It is extremely important to be able to identify when there will be a shift in the tone of the scene. As expected, there will be a few minor changes that may occur to the script to better suit the film. However, these changes will only be small and will not result in tremendous differences. Overall, this script will help tremendously as we begin to film, as it provides a layout for what we will need to do and edit in.

Shooting Script for the Final Task

In this google slides presentation, I wrote out my group's shooting script. This is a script with all of the words, camera movements and some notable editing styles. This script can act as an overall outline for our movie clip. Each slide is a new scene. So for each scene, I wrote out the dialogue and the character's movements. I also like said before noted any camera movements, angles or shits that were new or important to the scene. I also did the same for any added in things that would be for the editing process. We could use this script during the filming process and follow it religiously. Of course, some changes are bound to be made because that's what happens in a film. But if any changes are to be made they will be minuscule and the overall plot will remain similar to the PowerPoint. And the PowerPoint will be very useful for the rest of the process.

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 the 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: The Reaping

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.


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.

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: 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 purpose of the movie.

Title Research: Watch the Title 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.

Genre Research: 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.

Genre Research: 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 did 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.