Genre Research: 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.

Genre Research: 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.

Selecting a Genre through Research

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 Horror and Comedy

          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!

Selecting a Pitch

          After choosing what group to work with it was finally time to begin brainstorming ideas for 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 Jade. In this blog, I’m going to be going over some details of the final task. The first step in beginning the final task was to pick the group that I wanted to work with. It’s important to choose a good group to work with so that the final product can reach its full potential. If you choose a group that only consists of your friends it may be harder to get any work done. In both the commercial project and music video, I worked very well with my group. This led me to the decision that it would be best to work with them again. This group includes Katia, Nadia, and Sophia and myself. I know that we will all work so efficiently together and I am excited to see the creative things we come up with. As a group, we all work so well and cooperatively together so I know we won’t have any concerns when trying to decide on how the opening should look.

          While taking this class I have acquired so many essential and important skills. These skills are not only important for the class but can also be used in real-life situations. The knowledge I obtained throughout the class so far will be utilized in many ways while completing the final task. I’m going to briefly recap the most important skills that I have learned and that will also be used during the duration of the final task. The first skill I learned was about camera angles, shots, and movements. Knowing this is extremely significant in understanding what you are filming and what angle, shot, or movement you need to use. I will use this skill on the final exam for determining how I want each scene to look according to what it is about. The next skill I learned was how to edit a film. Knowing how to edit is also very important because it allows you to put everything together and add creative touches to make your film unique and special. I will use my editing skills to make each clip perfect and bring all of the scenes together using smooth transitions. The next skill I learned was the film making process. The film making process gives an excellent breakdown of what needs to be done during the 5 stages of a film: development, pre-production, production, post-production, and distribution. This can be used for the final exam task when deciding on what needs to be done throughout each stage. The last thing I learned was how to use a camera and a tripod. Without knowing how to use these it would be very difficult to film your scenes. The camera is important for being able to shoot high-quality shots and the tripod allows for these shots to be steady and not shaky. I will use the skills I learned on how to work a camera and tripod for the final task when filming my scenes.

          One of the things that were discussed in class today that is very important to know is a pitch. Understanding and grasping the concept of a pitch is crucial to being able to start the final task. You may be wondering what exactly a pitch is, but don’t worry I’m going to break the basis of it down. A pitch is a term used to describe an idea where a film is encapsulated. This term is commonly used in Hollywood. A pitch is usually 25 words or less and written in one sentence. It can be more than one sentence, however, try not to make it too much longer than 25 words. Understanding what a pitch is will be very useful so it’s very important that you understand what it is.