Short Films

Todorov's Narrative Theory

 Todorov in 1969 produced a theory which he believed to be able to be applied to any film. He believed that all films followed the same narrative pattern. They all went through stages called equilibrium, dis equilibrium and restored equilibrium.

There are five stages the narrative can pass through:

1. A state of equilibrium
2. A disruption of that order by an event
3. A recognition that the order has occurred 
4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption
5. A return or restoration of new equilibrium

 Direct Address

Definition:

 Communication that is explicitly indicated as being targeted at a current listener, reader or viewer as an individual.

Examples: 

Looking at or speaking directly to the camera/audience

Using on-screen text to address the audience

Using a voice over to address the audience

Research of Short Films

 From researching short films, particularly animated ones, I have discovered that they rely heavily upon sound effects and music as oppose to continuous dialogue. This perhaps is due to the fact that it will save time and money on using voice actors. In addition a lot of on-screen text is used to introduce the short film and help with the plot, again to avoid using voice actors. Furthermore as the film has a very limited time-frame the audience is 'thrown in' to the story in the sense that no background information is given or explanation about the plot. 

 Short films appear very difficult to create as the writer needs to compact a story into a short amount of time, while ensuring that during this process the film still connects with and engages the audience as well as creating enigma.

The following Prezi consists of in-depth research, conducted by myself, into the sound used within horror movies. The codes and conventions displayed within this Prezi will later help me with the production of my own horror movie trailer.


 

Camera Techniques

 The following Slideshare presentation is research into various camera shots and angles used in horror movies.

I have decided that if I chose to create a movie trailer for the task rather than a short film then I will produce one for a horror movie. I have made this decision as I feel that this genre best fits me as I enjoy watching horror films and feel that I would be capable of producing a gripping movie trailer. This is why when conducting my research into camera shots and angles used in films I have mainly focused on the horror genre. The evidence that I have found will later help me in producing my own horror movie trailer.

'Why our brains love horror movies'

The following article is research I have obtained as to demonstrate the appeal to audiences of horror movies:

"The fact that some people like to be scared out of their wits never ceases to baffle those of us who would as soon see Freddy Krueger slash his way through A Nightmare on Elm Street as we would have surgery without anesthesia. But to masters of the genre, as well as to experts in media psychology, it makes perfect sense. In Danse Macabre, Stephen King described “terror as the finest emotion, and so I will try to terrorize the reader.” What makes it so fine? “One of the major reasons we go to scary movies is to be scared,” says Fischoff. But the scare we crave—and this applies to haunted houses and spooky corn mazes no less than to horror movies—is a safe one. “We know that, in an hour or two, we’re going to walk out whole,” says Fischoff. “We’re not going to have any holes in our head, and our hearts will still be in our bodies.”

“If we have a relatively calm, uneventful lifestyle, we seek out something that’s going to be exciting for us, because our nervous system requires periodic revving, just like a good muscular engine,” says Fischoff. A 1995 study found that the higher people score on a scale that measures sensation-seeking, the more they like horror films. “There are people who have a tremendous need for stimulation and excitement,” says Fischoff. “Horror movies are one of the better ways to get really excited.”

He suggests that the appeal to teenagers also goes beyond thrill-seeking and catharsis. Horror movies help young people learn to manage terror. “They can either succumb [to frightening images] or learn to manage,” he argues. “By learning to suppress feelings and display mastery or cling to others in a dependent ploy for protection, a person learns to cope with another aspect of his or her environment, a skill that may be useful in dealing with more than just horror pictures.” That may explain another oddity of the genre: horror movies are popular date films. “Teenage boys enjoyed a horror film significantly more when the female companion... expressed fright, whereas teenage girls enjoyed the film more when the male companion... showed a sense of mastery and control,” Walters argued."

Source:Why our brains love horror movies by Sharon Begley

Horror Movie Genre

The below Slideshare presentation is research that I have conducted into the different codes and conventions used in horror movies. All of this research will help me with the construction of a plan to produce a trailer for my own horror movie.

Extended Research For Movie Trailers

 Today I have looked at how movie trailers are structured and the transitions used between the clips. So I began with selecting a movie trailer (Interstallar) and worked my way through looking at what is essential for movie trailers and how they are typically organised. Every trailer usually starts with the green audience card displayed below, therefore, I have decided that it essential for me to include this in mine, in addition I have made a note of how long this card is shown for so that I can apply this to my trailer. 

From watching this trailer I have learnt that it is more effective to show the institution identifications slightly further into the trailer and show some clips of the film before hand.

Another tip that I have learnt through watching example movie trailers is that the institution identifications should only be displayed for a very short period of time - a second.

This trailer has also demonstrated that when informative text is displayed on screen neither the font of the text nor the background of the text need be very complex. As shown above a simple white font can be use on a plain black background. I feel that this technique has more impact upon the viewer  than making things too complex and confusing for them.

As shown it is also very effective having a very simplistic background for the main title of the film as it adds impact and gives more emphasis. For this reason I am planning on having bright red text for the title upon a plain black background so that the title of the film is very clear.

Brief History of Horror

Horror has over the years changed and adapted to suit the audiences change in what is deemed 'scary' or can shock them. With new inventions in cinema such as 3D and digital systems a the found footage sub-genre and references to technology or considered scary to a more modern audience, as they can relate the film to their own personal devices which can cause a sense of fear. The modern horror genre is a blend of sub genres that have changed through the decades, copying previous films and emphasizing the same things. It has altered the stereotypes of women and teenagers with how the directors cast and depict the actors.

 

 

 

For further historical information about the horror genre visit:

 

http://www.horrorfilmhistory.com/

 

 

What is Horror?

Horror is a film genre seeking to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's primal fears. Inspired by literature from authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, horror films have for more than a century featured scenes that startle the viewer. The macabre and the supernatural are frequent themes. Thus they may overlap with the fantasy, supernatural, and thriller genres.
Horror films often deal with the viewer's nightmares, hidden fears, revulsions and terror of the unknown. Plots within the horror genre often involve the intrusion of an evil force, event, or personage, commonly of supernatural origin, into the everyday world. Prevalent elements include ghosts, aliens, vampires, werewolves, demons, dragons, gore, torture, vicious animals, evil witches, monsters, zombies, cannibals, and serial killers. Conversely, movies about the supernatural are not necessarily always horrific.

 

 

Movie Trailer

 During the past week I have watched a number of film trailers in order to gather an understanding of how they are constructed and different codes and conventions that are used. I have selected the below trailer (Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs) as I feel that the manipulation of the song  is done very well as it adds humour and intrigue. This is due to the fact that some of the scenes used during the trailer are clearly very serious however it is obvious that the director does not want the film to be taken too seriously with the comical choice of music. Furthermore you are told when to pay attention to what the actor is saying as the music stops, be it for comical or serious purposes.

 This clip is also a good example of film trailers as it uses a variety of editing techniques. For example the trailer starts with no sound (silence) and the words "every 'dog' has its day" displayed on screen immediately triggering intrigue for the viewers. Another good technique used in this trailer is the fact that for the duration there is no voice over explaining the plot, simply clips from the film used to inform and entice the viewer. This is followed by short and punchy phrases displayed on a black background to break up the action and uses devices such as an ellipsis to keep the viewer watching. The editor has also cleverly used a snippet from a scene that shows the men all gathered around a table laughing together implying that a funny act or joke has just been told, therefore making the viewer want to go and watch the film so that they can see/hear what the comical event was.

  In addition around half way through the clip the pace begins to pick up with the display of the captions becoming shorter and more action shots being used. Another quite clever device used in this trailer is  that while it clearly implies that the film is centred around some sort of heist it still leaves the viewer asking questions such as:

Why are they stealing what they are stealing?

Why are they strangers?

Is it a success?

How do they do it?

 The trailer has also been quite clever in gathering all of the scenes together in the film that involve guns, the mention of guns or the word 'BANG'  to create a sense of fast pace, violent action. 

 Finally towards the end of the trailer the voice of a narrator is played over the trailer to introduce all of the famous actors that appear in the film which in effect would 'seal the deal' for many of the viewers.

Lesson 1 Film Clips

 While exploring different codes and conventions of movie trailers we have discovered that an important factor is to create enigma within the trailer.

 Definition:

  A puzzling or inexplicable occurrence or situation:
"His disappearance is an enigma that has given rise to much speculation."


A saying, question, picture, etc. , containing a hidden meaning; riddle.

Introduction to Task

 For my advanced portfolio I have been asked to either:

-Produce an entire short film, lasting approximately five minutes, which may be live action or  animated together with two of the following three options:
 -a poster for the film;
 -a radio trailer for the film;
 -a film magazine review page featuring the film

OR

-A promotion package for a new film,to include a trailer, Together with two of the following three  options:

 - a website homepage for the film;

 -a film magazine front cover, featuring the film;

 -a poster for the film