Production Process

 Filming- Day 1

On this day of filming, we are shooting the first scene (the bar scene). In this scene, we chose a brownish environment, and one of our props was an empty liquor bottle with apple juice inside. This was to make it realistic so the audience could suspect that the main actor was drinking alcohol (fake). We sometimes also encountered issues with opening the bottle or with lighting in general. Our shots were not always visible since it was very dark, so for our upcoming film day, we will do a better job at picking the time we are shooting.

Furthermore, we had some funny bloopers while filming, but of course I'm not gonna put them in my film opening, so I will go ahead and put any bloopers we have on my "production process" blogs.

Film Set/Props/Costume

 Update on the mise-en-scene

My group and I decided that we will be filming at a mini bar in one of our places for the bar scene instead of the Town Center bar scene. This is because the bar at our house matches the tone we want to set for our film opening, which is dim and brownish color. Additionally, the props came in recently and we may not beat the doll up like we are planning on doing since it may add some extra realism if it's clean (that's just a thought). The group and I planned on beating the doll because we thought it would make it more realistic and chilling, but when the doll came in, we realized it was already very realistic and unique looking. Also, we have the perfect clothing ready for the bar scene, and for the forest, we are still going for that unique, business casual look. However, since we will be filming at a mini bar and not filming at a bar, we will have to switch locations after filming in our mini bar and go to a restroom that is in a bar or looks somewhat like the restroom of a bar. 

Forest (similar, not the real forest that will be shown):

Bar (similar, not the real bar that will be shown)

Real Doll:

Real Clothing:

Camera equipment

 For the camera equipment, my group and I will be using a Canon EOS 60D, I gave the idea of this camera since I remembered my dad bought it a while ago, and it will be better to use than a regular iPhone. Moreover, I did get a brief understanding of it when my dad explained it to me while handing me the camera, but I don't think that will be enough to satisfy my demands on my project. So, I ended up doing some extra research about it to explore some extra interesting things about this camera and to help me and my group accomplish our goals with this project. 

Furthermore, I not only did research on how to use it but also the specifications of the camera and what makes it a good camera (the technology that is inside the camera). The article states that the "Canon EOS 60D is a mid-range DSLR released in 2010 designed for photography enthusiasts and semi-professionals". This interesting thing about this camera is that even though it was released in 2010 it has 3K graphics and is paired with an "18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with DIGIC 4 image." Additionally, all of this means it is capable of making images with "great detail and sharp color accuracy", this is perfect for my project as we will need detailed cinematography. There is also an "ISO range of 100-6400 (expandable to 12800) which allows for versatility in many lighting conditions while the continuous shooting speed of 5.3 FPS is useful for capturing action shots." It is great that this is included because I was worried that the camera wouldn't be able to see what we are doing since our set is mainly in the dark.

Although an older mode, the EOS 60D is a good choice for beginners due to these specifications, as well as its ease of use. The battery life of this camera is reliable from the article's perspective, saying it has "several hours of shooting," which is great for me and my group. While newer cameras offer more quality and faster processing, my EOS 60D still is great since I didn't have to spend much getting it (since I already had it), either way, if I had to purchase it for this project I would since it's very budget-friendly.

Sources-

https://www.canon-europe.com/for_home/product_finder/cameras/digital_slr/eos_60d/specifications/

https://www.dummies.com/article/home-auto-hobbies/photography/cameras/canon/movie-recording-basics-on-a-canon-eos-60d-175811/

Storyboard

 Like I said in my scripts blog post, I will be uploading a storyboard, so here it is. I worked on this over the weekend and made some adjustments on it so it could sound a little better, so there may be some differences from the script. I included some more information about the shots/angles since I didn't include much of that in the script. Additionally, I did some research on a slide I found on why we make storyboards and it included some very interesting topics and facts which I didn't know about before. 

Storyboards are an important tool in media studies as they help visualize scenes, plan shot composition, and ensure a clean narrative view before filming. Moreover, they serve as a blueprint for directors, editors, and cinematographers, reducing errors during filming and saving time. In my previous work, like my Eraser Story and One Word Film project, I would say storyboarding helped me map out important moments, frame shots, and help me while editing. In addition, the article stated that "Storyboards assist the filmmaker in realizing his or her vision. Not only do they assist with the artistic level of the future film, but also the budget, duration, and much more, depending on the quality of the storyboard creation." Overall, I thought this was a very important line since it shows the proper way to use the storyboards; while reading the slide and the article, all taught me how to make my future storyboards better.

Sources- 

https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/introduction-to-media-studies-storyboards/116967130

https://makestoryboard.com/blog/why-do-flmmakers-use-storyboards

Audio

 For our audio, we want to focus on sinister sounds such as loud dings before a jumpscare or maniacal laughter, and lastly creepy music. Moreover, we want to add different types of foley to make it unique, such as when the person walks or the dolls echo a laugh. We also brainstormed a few different ideas to add more suspense to the film's opening for when he is alone in the forest or in the bar's bathroom. Nevertheless, the ideas included foley for the twig snapping or leaves crunching, we wanted to make these sounds placed at random locations in the film opening, like behind the character or to his sides. Another idea for a foley that we had was when he vomited and then fainted in the bathroom, we could do the vomit by throwing water in a toilet and the thud by throwing something heavy to tothea floor. 

I did some research on how horror films use audio to build suspense and make the film frightening. Most horror films use audio in the same way, such as using sudden stingers (kind of like a ding) for jump scares, sudden silence, and weird ambient sounds, all of this is to build suspense and heighten fear. Additionally, the article stated that they use "distorted or unnatural noises to create discomfort while atonal music and distorted dissonance generate tension". However, what I want to incorporate most in my film opening is dietetic sounds like leaves crumbling far out and distant laughter these things make the setting more realistic and are important for the audiences since they make them think about what is happening, such as when a heart beats in a horror movie it makes you get more tense. This is all so you can get more immersed in the movie, and foley sounds are an upgrade to that since it adds to your realism, making things seem more disturbing. Overall, sound design in horror controls audiences' anticipation,o n which keeps viewers uncomfortable.

Sources-

https://thehorrorhq.com/sound

https://artyfile.com/blog/the-power-of-music-in-horror-films-how-soundtracks-intensify-creepy-movie-scenes

Mise-en-scene Props and Lighting

The props we've chosen are a doll, a tie, and fake shot glasses with apple juice to substitute for alcoholic drinks. Moreover, the doll we are buying is very clean and not scary, so we plan to beat it up and make it seem dirty, so it looks haunted and scary. The tie will take place when the main character is in the bar, and he will drop it once he is in the forest. This same tie will be used to rap around the doll's neck when she is hanging on the tree. Moreover, the shot glasses will take place in the bar, and it's very important for the passing out effect so the credits can be played, and is also very important in the forest where he wakes up and is confused.

Nevertheless, in the bar scene, we want it to be dim and brown, so it can set the mood for the rest of the film. This same set will continue as the first couple of scenes in our film opening. After the bar, we will be located in a forest, these similar tones of color will be important for our film opening. However, for the bar to be the color we want it is tricky since most bars have their own unique vibe, but we are hoping for the bar in Town Center to be a great spot for us to shoot our film opening in.

Moreover, the forest will be dim and will illustrate the mood perfectly since we want it to be dark and sinister. We want the forest to look somewhat like this, with the green showing and the brown from the dirt and trees also in the view. In other words, we chose these two colors (brown and green) to match with each other because we didn't want to set them to look completely different from each other, so we can go through the whole film opening with similar tones and moods. 

Mise-en-scene Costume and Set

My group and I have decided our set is going to be in a forest and bar, this specific forest is located in the Everglades, it's more of a river than it is a forest, but besides that, it is the perfect location for what we want to film. Additionally, the main reason we based it on a forest is that it is feared by many to go to a forest alone at sundown. Also, we will include a doll in one of our scenes hanging on a tree with a tie around its neck. Our location will look most similar to this picture below. The bar is going to go first, while introducing the main character, it is going to be a similar color scheme to the forest, with mainly brown colors, dim lighting, and drinks in the background. This is so we can set similar moods and tones throughout the film opening.

Furthermore, our main character will be introduced in a bar while wearing business casual. He will be wearing this because he is a very well-educated businessman and just got out of his job. In addition, later on in the opening, he will be wearing a tie which will be conjoined with the doll and the tree. We had this idea to make our audience fear the doll, and since he is in the forest alone and at night, it's going to make the audience feel a certain way about this scene.

Character Development

 After many conversations with my group, we chose one of these three names: Andrew, Robert, and James. We settled on Andrew at first, but after a while, we thought the name didn't fit in with the character, so we went with James. Moreover, he is a very stereotypical male as he is in a frat and studies finance, he is a well-educated businessman working an internship during summer, he does all this while being a college student, single, and 21 (Born January 5th,2004). This story takes place in 2025, when James walks into the bar (which is the setting for the first scene), he is well dressed (business casual) as if he just got off his shift at a firm. Additionally, James has acquired a dependency on alcohol to escape his stressful schedule of simultaneously working, school, and friends, due to being newly 21, he spends nearly every night drinking alone at the bar.

Furthermore, we landed on the name James since it is ranked #1 most common name for American born males, and James sounds very suitable for the genre horror.

Project Script

 This blog post will be about the script for my film's opening. A script or a screenplay is a written text based on what happens in a film, TV show, and other media types. A script normally includes descriptions of the setting, stage directions, dialogue, character actions, and shots/compositions. Scripts tell the story through words and descriptions and provide the structure of the film. They are very important, and a movie cannot be filmed without one.

This is an example of a single page in a Movie Script.

This is the link to my script. It shows what is going to be in my film's opening. Since this is my first time making a script, it was interesting, especially when I was researching how to make one. The different formats included in scripts were fun since you could choose which format you wanted to make. However, I chose the original format because, in my opinion, it was simple and cool looking. I hope you enjoy reading my script. And I will also be uploading a future blog about my storyboard.

Sources:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/script-writing-explained

https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/screenplay-format-75569/

https://www.oscars.org/margaret-herrick-library/collections/scripts

Project Idea Summary

 Through the group discussions we've had with our teacher, we can nearly perfect our ideas. But for now, we have a horror film opening that is mainly about the mystery of the story and the suspense it brings to our audiences. The main character will start drinking at the first location (Town Center), fully dressed up with a suit and tie, taking drinks (alcohol) and getting more drunk until he goes to the bathroom and passes out, this is part we are going to do a fading black effect, and the title and credits will play. Once he is awake, he will be in a forest, and he will be amazed at how and when he got there. Moreover, in the forest, he will have an increased heartbeat and panting throughout. While he is walking in the forest, he sees a sign that states "Do not continue". The main character will ignore this sign and take off his tie as he is trying to figure things out. As he leaves the tie on the floor, he will continue his plans. Later on, he will encounter a gruesome doll hanging using the tie that he left on the floor. As he is looking at the door, he gets a sudden tap on the shoulder, he turns back, and no one is there, when he turns back to look at the doll, she isn't there. An echoed laughing sound will play showing that the doll is still there but not in his view, and the opening scene ends. For the doll, we will purchase a doll online and customize it ourselves to our liking.

The doll we are buying:

What we want it to look like:

Media Theory

 A media theory I would want to put into my horror film opening is the Semiotic Theory of Barthes, which explores how meaning is created through signs and symbols. Roland Barthes, "a French literary theorist, believes that media texts communicate meaning beyond their surface content by using symbols that audiences decode based on cultural understanding". In horror films, semiotics play an important role, the sense of tension building as normal objects or settings can't take on threatening meaning. One example would be the doll of an innocent child, which can signify innocence, but can also suggest danger when placed in a disturbing context. Using Barthes's idea, my horror opening could slowly make a meaning through symbolic image, like a doll hung on a tree, slowly moving left and right, which suggests uneasiness before any intense dangers are shown. 

Furthermore, Barthes introduced the concept of "connotation also as denotation being the literal meaning of an image while connotation refers to the deeper cultural or emotional associations that it carries". A setting of horror could have a dark forest or spooky corridor, but the connotation introduces fear, danger, or the presence of evil. My film's opening could show this by focusing on visuals that carry threatening connotations such as weird shadows or a random flickering light. "These signals subconsciously start the fear in the viewer which increases their fear without any direct threat". By turning to the effects of visual images, you can create a cooler and uncomfortable atmosphere, avoiding boring violence while still having the audience in fear.

Moreover, Barthes' theory says that "media texts are polysemic, they can hold multiple meanings depending on the audience's background and experiences". This is especially effective in horror where uncertainty can increase fear. What one viewer thinks as a sign of supernatural danger, another might see it as psychological uncertainty. My horror opening could purposely leave certain visual clues or sounds open to explanation, an example would be that a character suggests ghosts to some viewers while others might view it as a sign of fear. This confusion keeps audiences engaged, going well with the uncomfortable tone that is important in horror. With Barthes' Semiotic Theory in my opening, I will use objects correctly, making audiences confused yet anxious.

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Barthes

Editing Software

The editing software I will be using to make my film opening is Adobe Premiere Pro. This is because it's my main editing software; it's also a perfect tool for a good horror film opening. Therefore, I will need to do research on how to make my film opening neat for my audiences, Adobe Premiere Pro is used by professionals like Hollywood and YouTubers, which means it's a very trusted editing software. However, they have many other interesting things put into it, including timeline editing, which is to layer video, audio, and effects; in one of the sidebars built-in effects like fades, dissolves, and custom transitions are also included. (This VIDEO taught me Adobe Premiere Pro when I first used it.)

Color grading and Audio tools are important to use in edits, these two tools help set the tone and the looks of your film opening, especially when you can change the color or sound of a specific thing that doesn't seem appealing to have. Moreover, keyframing allows you to create slow zooms which are perfect for suspense, integrations work really well on Premiere Pro since they allow you to use After Effects for a more advanced visual effect in your genre. Using Premiere Pro, you can create suspense easily using tight, quick cuts to create confusion, you can also use match cuts, for interesting transitions that help build suspense. Using the color grading tool, you can create a creepy atmosphere through color, the color you change will mainly represent your genre.

Sound in a horror film opening is everything, with Adobe's Audio tools I can layer different types of sounds like whispers, leaves crunching, birds humming, trees moving around in the wind, and other different things. Two of the most important things I would do before a scare to build tension are to have sudden silence and then a high-pitched hum, kind of like a 'ding', this builds up tension to loud scares and increases the fear of the audience. The last thing I would do while I'm editing my film opening is put texts and titles the design would be more pencil-like with a slow fading text, from what I learned while researching film openings for the genre horror is that the pencil font is really famous and is still cool looking since it matches the horror vibe. With all of these tools, Premiere Pro will allow me to shape every visual and auditory detail the way I want, confirming that my film opening will look good.

Target Audience

What is Horror's target audience?

Horror typically focuses on audiences around the age of 15 to 35, with young adults and teenagers being the most interested due to their thrill-seeking mind. While both genders like horror, men continue to choose slasher and gore-based films, while women prefer psychological and paranormal horror. The genre meets those who appreciate adrenaline rush, dark storytelling, and deeper symbolize, with streaming platforms, horror games, and forums serving as significant content bases. This graph is also important.

Horror has a global audience, but cultural differences influence preferences. Western horror favors slashers and monsters, while Asian horror often focuses on psychological and supernatural themes. The genre reaches its most popular target around Halloween and grows in cinemas and on internet channels.

Slasher turns to thrill seekers, psychological horror to fans of uncomfortable storylines, and supernatural horror to those who enjoy ghost stories. Found footage of horror captivates young audiences with its immersive realism, whilst body horror attracts those who are interested in weird transformations.

Overall, horror relies on its ability to cause fear and excitement, which makes it a diverse genre with wide appeal. 

Establishing a Timeline

 Making a timeline for me is crucial since it helps me focus more on my objectives. Moreover, I am a procrastinator most of the time, I fix that by doing things early, but since this is a big project, I need to take this step by step. So, I'm going to establish a timeline for myself so I can do things on time and not have to panic while doing so.

Since I have around 7 weeks to do this, I will have to make a timeline 7 weeks long.

Timeline

Week 1 (2/3-2/9)

• Research
• Develop concept and theme
• Movie plot development
• Initial script draft
• Brainstorm visual style and tone

Week 2 (2/10-2/16)

• Finalize script 
• Create storyboard
• Location scouting
• Finalize who is acting
• Set filming schedule
• Begin gathering props and costumes (if needed)

Week 3 (2/17-2/23)

• Start production
• Film key scenes
• Begin collecting sound effects and foley (if needed for scenes)

Week 4 (2/24-3/2)

• Start editing
• Review footage and identify reshoots 
• Record additional foley (if needed)
• Begin adding sound design and music (if it looks and sounds promising)

Week 5 (3/3-3/9)

• Start closing up editing
• Check out different editing choices
• Test different pacing and transitions
• Gather feedback and make necessary changes

Week 6 (3/10-3/16)

• Finalize editing
• Color correction and sound mixing
• Write and record Creative Critical Reflection
• Review and polish the CCR

Week 7 (3/17-3/25)

• Buffer week for any adjustments
• Final review and polish
• Export the final version
• Submit project

This will keep me up to date on the project and not procrastinate too much while doing it. 

Credit Scene

 Brainstorming and Creating the Best Credit Scene

I had a plan in class, which I can't forget since I think it's amazing, because since our horror film opening is going to take place in the forest and in the dark. I was thinking, why don't we have the person alone in the woods shining the flashlight around, and each time he points it somewhere, the credit scene appears in the area where the flashlight is shining. However, to make that good I have to analyze and research how the credit scene in the film openings is placed. So, this will be dedicated to analyzing the film openings in SE7EN and The Strangers.

Purpose of a Credit Scene:

All credit scenes share the same purpose of giving credit to the main workers who produced the film. These credits often include the director, main actor, producer, writer, cinematographer, editor, and more. However, there can be many different ways to structure the credit scene. Films can choose whether to create a natural that stays on topic from the film, or something that adds on to the film.

SE7EN (1995)

The opening credit sequence of SE7EN is an unusual montage of unsettling, grainy visuals paired with eerie beats. Rapid cuts, extreme close-ups, and ugly handwritten typography create a confusing atmosphere featuring disturbing images like pictures of cut-up hands and more. The sequence sets not only the dark tone and realistic aesthetic but also engages viewers in the world of detectives, which makes it creepy and mysterious.

The Strangers (2008)

Strangers uses a normal, creepy credit sequence that relies on defined clarity to disturb the audience. A deep voiced narrator recounts the "true events" that the film is apparently based on, presented against a plain black background with white text and low, eerie sounds. The film follows an almost documentary approach, mainly making the horror in realism, and increasing its main theme of cold violence by showing blood splattered across the walls, and a shotgun on the counter. All of this together creates a horrifying experience, and it's even more horrifying to know that it's all based on a true story.

The opening credits in SE7EN are chaotic and visually blurry, using rapid cuts, disturbing imagery, and a pencil-like typography to reflect the dark and overwhelming tone. In contrast, The Strangers relies on simplicity with a black screen, deeply voiced narration, and menacing sounds to create a sense of realism, isolation, and uncomfortable silence. 

Analyzing Three Horror Film Openings

I have finalized the genre I am picking, horror, and brainstormed what to do for my film opening. Nevertheless, I need to analyze some film openings to make sure I am doing a great job on my own film opening. So, the following research will be based on all the characteristics of film openings in the horror genre.

The Shining (1980)

The opening of The Shining is famous for its haunting up in the air shots that follow this single yellow car on the road through a mountainous isolated landscape. The wide camera movement added to the threatening height of the camera sets a menacing tone. The vast, empty scenery creates a sense of isolation, hinting that something will happen. Natural light is used, but it is against the shadows and the deeper tones of the soundtrack, which enhances the eerie atmosphere. As such, this opening effectively establishes a mood of unease by slowly introducing themes of isolation without revealing any specific plot details. Additionally, I found the blue in the text very strange as it doesn't match the opening at all. I went and did some research about why they did that and found a video on Niclas Larsson, a Grand Jury Prize award for the 'Best Short' at the Gothenburg Film Festival in 2013. He talked about how he found it interesting that they did that and used it in some of his own work, he mentioned that "it gives the audience, this is not gonna be what you expect, it's not gonna match what you see here, you're in for a ride, and it's gonna be disturbing in many ways." You can see the video here to understand more about it.

Penny Dreadful (2014)

The opening sequence of Penny Dreadful reveals dark, gothic like visuals combined with haunting orchestral music to create a mysterious and sinister tone. The sequence features a montage of imagery such as blood, insects, religious icons, and supernatural elements, which is reflective of the show's themes and color since it is mostly dark, enhancing the eerie mood. Nevertheless, this opening is effective in developing the audience into the world of horror and intrigue based on the show. Additionally, the picture that's displayed on the right caught my eye, as it looks like a skull, but it's a human curled up in fear of what's to come.

The Exorcist (1973)

The Exorcist opens with a scene facing a house, it pans to the right pretty quick, and we see a couple walking. It's now set in Iraq with an archaeological dig site. The bright sun covers the environment and contrasts with the darker themes that are shown later on. The opening is marked by minimal dialogue and relies on ambient sound. Then the discovery of a disturbing artifact builds tension. The use of natural lighting and the unique location lends a film like realism, enhancing the weird atmosphere. The pacing is slow, and the author creates a sense of fear and anxiety. However, this introduction effectively sets the stage for the supernatural horror that is to come, hinting at the ancient evil late on.

The cover of the film also caught my eye again, this is because only one light is being shined at a singular person. This is very eerie especially when the person is not in a walking motion or running motion, he's just standing there like he's waiting for something to happen.

Picking the genre

Genre

The genres I brainstormed to go with the film opening are drama and horror. I chose these genres because they will illustrate the film opening best and are more convenient for the audience, since they will get intrigued and imagine what comes next. Here's what I've learned about these two genres:

Characteristics of Drama:

(The Green Book-2018)

WHAT MAKES DRAMA GOOD?

A good drama is the ability to make the audience feel what the characters feel through believable characters and a great story. Moreover, it's all about emotion (The Green Book has a lot of emotion included in the film), which helps the audience understand the character's struggles and progression. Additionally, having realistic performances, natural-sounding dialogue, and believable backgrounds make the film more impactful and realistic to the audience's perspective. Common people, places, love, identity, prejudice, and redemption make the story feel real and relevant, the main goal of a drama is to stick with the audience's mind, when it does that it means it was a well-made drama. 

Characteristics of Horror:

(A Quiet Place-2018)

WHAT MAKES HORROR GOOD?

A good horror film is structured with fear and suspense, including atmosphere, tension, and emotion. It has to be presented in a tight-paced, unsettling manner, both visually and audibly, to generate anticipation and place the audience on edge. Nevertheless, characters to which viewers can relate, along with high stakes, enhance the making of such fear. Fear of the unknown, psychological threats, or supernatural beings raises the stakes even higher in terms of anticipation (Such as a Quiet Place with their supernatural beings). Ultimately, a great horror film succeeds in what it wants the audience to feel, the deep, hanging fear or a reflection of a very emotional psychological type. 

Transitioning into Portfolio Project

 Hello Cambridge, from this point forward my main objective on my blog is going to be centered around the creation of my Cambridge final project. It's a scary thought process since all of this will be worth a lot of my grade, but this will also help me become a better person and a better filmmaker. But with my wonderful teacher and everything that she taught me, I think I will do great. My teacher made a slide show for us about film openings, and we were told to take notes, these notes helped me understand more about film openings and how to produce one I will also be using these notes while creating my project to see if I have missed any key points on how to make a well-made film opening: 

My initial approach to this project would involve establishing a setting, this is very important because it helps the viewer get a grasp and imagine for themselves what is coming next. Additionally, this makes them feel engaged in the scene and leaves them on edge, especially if it's horror or drama. Creating a setting in a film opening can set the stage not only for the tone and mood but also for the genre of the film. It does this by giving meaning to the time, place, and environment in which the action takes place. It grabs the viewer in the beginning by foreshadowing some of the key themes, which in turn gives the audience a certain perspective of the film work, and makes the film world seem real and possible. 

My other approach would also establish a conflict to make the film opening more engaging to the audience. Moreover, at the end of the film opening, it would leave the audience on an important cliffhanger. The importance of a conflict in a film opening also includes establishing the plot, setting the tone, creating the setting of the story, and engaging the audience. To establish this conflict and to make it unique, I would have to show the protagonist as soon as possible, avoid starting with flashbacks, and start the conflict in the early bits of the film opening.