Horror movie good and bad points 29th Oct

Readers,

Today for my half term I have been set prep which is to look at and examine 5 different horror movie trailers and describe what is good and bad about each one.

Jeepers Creepers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuNI06Kzm4Y

Good Points

1. Don't see what the creature/man is until he is trying to kill them.
2. Creepy area with horror stories told by the locals about this creature that kills and eats people.
3. Starts with two people alone driving in the middle of nowhere.

Bad Points

1. Not enough scary music used.
2. Make up of the creature is over the top, looks too fake and made up.

Night mare on Elm Street https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuYoEtEI_go

Good Points

1. Scary music used to create tension
2. Real life- set in modern day America
3. Horrific factor that if you fall asleep you will be killed by this man in your dream.
4. Use of killers claws. The killer always uses his claws to terrify and kill his victims.

Bad Points

1. Not believable- Supernatural element. Eg. One of the girls is lifted in the air in real life by the killer in her dream.
2. You see the killer too soon.

Orphan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ywOPNNii9w

Good Points

1. Real life scene used. Eg. Orphanage used and a family want to adopt.
2. Scary music.
3. Secrets of who and what she is and where she has come from.
4. Jumpy elements to the film. The suspense in some of the film built up by the music it suddenly just stops and then something tragic happens. Eg. the mother runs over her other daughter.

Bad Points

1. Not real story line. An older women inside a young girls body is superficial.

The Ring https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuH5FaUpFm4

Good Points

1. Scary stories told about the video tape and how if you watch it that you will die in 7 days after you have a phone call saying this.
2. Creepy music used to create uneasiness and anticipation. This also has the effect on us as the audience of us being easily frightened or spooked.
3. Scary voices used. Eg. the phone call saying that you will die in 7 days.
4. Real life. Scene set in up state America.

Bad Points

1. Supernatural elements to the film. Eg. this fact that you will be dead in 7 days by watching the video tape.

Aliens vs Predators https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBqxeqmx0nk

Good Points

1. Music used to show something was about to happen and also used for tension.
2. Noises- before the aliens and predators are introduced there are several spooky (diagetic) noises used to show that the creatures are waking up.
3. Use of camera when seeing through the creatures eyes gives the film another perspective and shows us how the creatures are seeing and what their next point of attack is.

Bad Points

1. Sci-fi-Use of things that are not real. Eg. Aliens and the Predators.
2. Costume-They are supposed to be "out of this world" but they are very fake.

The main factors for a horror movie are:

• Scary music to create suspense.
• Real life story used.
• Not seeing or knowing what the horrific creature is or could be.
• Scary setting with strange things happening. Eg. disappearances and deaths.

Things NOT to do:

• Do NOT use cartoons/bad make up. This spoils the "fear factor" of the film.
• Do NOT use too much fake blood.
• Do NOT see the creature or thing too early in the story.

I will use these factors in my final AS level media studies piece.

Research for 2 minute opening of my own film 21st Oct

Readers,

This is my initial research for my AS course work- the opening 2 minutes of a film.

Today I used Youtube and 'The art of the title' to gain ideas into what I could do for my opening.

AS media studies horror trailer course works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lcgc3iJQXY


Horror films:
The Awakening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB8UAuGBJGM
The Women In Black: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXXRS3Kghh4

10 scariest movies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6NKZQ4cqh0

1. Jeepers Creepers
2. The Ring
3. The Collector
4. Inside
5. Orphan
6. Freddy vs. Jason
7. Halloween
8. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
9. Night mare on Elm street
10. Friday the 13th

Preliminary task 19th Oct

Readers,
Yesterday in my Media Studies lesson I managed to start and finish filming my preliminary task for my A level course work.
My filming consisted of: My media studies teacher walking down a path, through two doors and into a room with my music teacher. She sits down and exchanges some dialogue with my other teacher. The discussion is heated as she is angry at the other for putting her on duty again this weekend.
I will be editing this in my next couple of lessons.  

Preliminary task- Planning 14th Oct

Readers,

Preliminary task:
Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and 180-degree rule.


Initial planning:
I decided to film two of of my teachers having a convocation/ argument in my classroom.

1. Ask teachers to be here on friday first thing
2. Make sure I have the camcorder fully charged with sim card
3. Find Tripod
4. Arrange chairs to make a dolly tripod
5. Have some dummy runs
6. Make sure teachers know their dialogue 
7. Shoot more footage than I need
8. Have back up plan in place if weather is bad

 

 

Westonbirt 6th form film- FINISHED!

Readers,
I have finished my short film describing life in Westonbirt school 6th form.
I have made and edited several video clips that I have filmed myself. I have used the programs: Final Cut Express and Photoshop. I have learnt a lot from using these two programs. I never used these two programs so this has been a major learning curve for me. What I have learnt from this experience is how to use transitions, import clips and title slides, split music up from the video and delete the film and use the music underneath another video. e.g. having the school sing in hymn practise and then use that with a pan round the 6th form court yard.
I will post my mini movie on my blog next week. :)

Genres of movies

Readers,
A few youtube clips here about different genres:
Sci-fi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPEsf1oq6zE
This video is all about how sci-fi is a rapidly changing genre moving from badly made make up and props to green screens and drama that bring the film and genre to life. The main point of sci-fi is that it takes the watcher/audience to another world not seen by anyone. Normally sci-fi starts with everything is normal then suddenly something happens. eg. alien invasion on earth or the death star is made- Star Wars. There is normally goodies and baddies (like western) then after the invasion a huge battle scene takes place and the goodies win. 
Western: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeTRDjK_sR0
This film depicts the wild west by the use of cowboys, guns and setting. Western film types are always about goodies and baddies fighting with a helpless maiden being taken or needing to be rescued by the goodies.
Romcom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFLQAXo4fRg
Romantic comedy has the same style every film. eg. a girl wants to find love then finds a guy she hates, then a problem happens and the guy saves the day. They both suddenly fall in love with each other and they live happily ever after, the end.
War/historic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihl0F320QgY
Saving Privet Ryan is a good template for war genres because it is about WW2 and the landing on the Normandy beaches. These films are usually about past events that have happened.

List of different genres used in films

Readers,
This is a great site for explaining film genres: http://www.filmsite.org/genres.html
The main genres are:
-Action
-Adventure
-Comedy
-Crime and gangsters
-Drama
-Historical
-Horror
-Musicals and dance
-Science fiction
-War
-Westerns

Finishing 6th form film update

Finishing 6th form film. Today added in all the transitions and on Friday I will add in all the titles and then be finished on Friday afternoon. :) HURRAY!!

Working on 6th form film and been given preliminary task CW

Readers,

Editing 6th form movie in lesson to be done by Friday. Just been given first proper assignment for my A level.

"Preliminary task: Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and them 180-degree rule."

I will start this next week after my 6th form movie is finished.

Theory- Camera shots, movement and angles

Readers,

Today we have been doing theory in my lesson going through some basic camera shots, movement and angles. These links below explain these really well.

Camera/ camcorder movement and film making

Basic shots:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe2PqbUkobU
Basic movement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGHGYHJogk0
Basic angles:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd2YUPGovQw

Youtube post- Film posters explained

Readers,

This is a great youtube film about explaining film posters and how they are designed especially to temped people to go and see the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSTzM8p4tVE

Media studies- Course explained (how it will be marked by examiner)

Readers,

This little clip is from youtube explaining to me (and everyone else) what is in my Media Studies course and it explains how the whole year is split up and marked by the examiner.

Watch away! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18iH0WHLvrg