Film deconstruction- jaws

Film deconstruction- Jaws

Mese en Scene-
Location

• The location in which the scene is filmed is very isolated with the only humans present being the couple who enters the water
• The image of the sun setting creates a calm, idealistic environment which contrasts to the devastating scene to come of the girls death. This is effective is it enhances the impact the death has on the audience making it seem all the more shocking
• In addition, the calmness of the water is used to create this peaceful environment to emphasise that contrast
• You can argue that the image of the sunset symbolises the end of her life; just as it sets as she is being attacked

Hair and makeup

• The girl has her hair down and clearly shows she has not made and effort with her appearance showing her innocence. 
• Furthermore, her makeup is very minimal which emphasisers her venerability and naivety. This, in turn, makes her death more tragic to the audience

Clothing

• However, the fact that the girl is in nudity after being pursued by a boy can suggest that she is promiscuous which may be a reason why she ends up dying
• Furthermore, the nudity may suggest she is even more vulnerable as she doesn't have anything protecting her from the dangers in the water

Sound and Music- 

Diegetic sounds

At the benign of the scene the digits sounds consist of the couple talking and laughing with each other which sets a positive mood and adds a sense of realism. Then as the girl enters the water, there are very minimal digits sounds with the waves crashing being the only sound present. You could argue that this creates a slightly eery and uncomfortable atmosphere. We then hear her breathing and shouting to the boy whilst in the water which promotes a positive atmosphere. During the attack there is minimal non-diegetic sounds as the sound of her screaming as this is what the audience is meant to focus on. This panicked screaming connotes terror, fear and utter desperation to stay alive.  

Non-diegetic 

The main use of the non-diegetic sounds in this scene is to play in the position of the shark and build the tension. The girl creates many diegetic sounding in the water but this is followed by the non-diegetic sounds from under the water of a slow and eery noise. As the camera becomes closer to the girl the sound builds up and becomes quicker, perhaps indicating something bad is going to occur. At the time where she initially gets hit by the shark we hear a high pitched noise of a string instrument which is commonly used at the most intense moments to build fear. Towards the end of the attack we hear the high pitched background sound which builds up the fear until the girl is pulled under and all the sounds are eliminated leaving just silence which effectively emphasizes the tragedy of her death. 

Lighting-

• Very naturalistic which makes the death of the girl even mire tragic in order to create a bigger impact on the audience
• This also makes the characters seem very naive and innocent as they are unaware of the danger of their surroundings
• Hoever, the scene is shot in the late eveing so there is little natural lighting left giving a darker view which arguably creates a more sinsiter atmosphere  

Camera techniques-

• Whne the girl is in the water, there are many shots of the girls head quite close up giving the impression that the audience are in the water with her
• At the begining of the attack the camera is placed beneth the girl and is under the water. This is done to mimick the position of the shark so the audience has the view that the shark has. This works together with the music as rhis is where it begins to build up.
• This underwater shot pans sideways and follows the girl swmming filmed with a hand held camera giving the impression that the shark is stalking the girl
• we then breifly see a wide shot of the surface of the water when we can see that the girl is isolated and alone emphesising her vunerablility
• At 51 seconds the camera returns to the underwater low shot, looking up at the girl however this time it is a lot closer which increases the tension and fear of the viewer 
• The camera is unsteadily getting closer and closer to the girls body representing the shark preparing for its attack  
• We then see a shoulder shot eyelevel to the girl on the surface of the water which is efctive for the beginign of the attack fro the shark
• At 1:00 we then see a close up shot of her face to highlight the fear and terror she is feeling 
• Following this we see a still shot of the surface of the water which is effective as the girl is frantically being dragged iinth water from one side of the shot to the other
• The camer then cuts to the boy who is lying asleep on the beach shore showing the helplessness the girl has as she is ultimatly alone in the sea
• The next shot is lower withing the surface of the water so we can see several splashes from the sea slightly concealing the girl actually being attacked but the audience knows that she is due to the distruption in the water
• The rest of the attack is filmed using a more unsteady camera more like a hand held camera to represent the unsteadyness of the water emphesising the climax of this scene. 

What I have learnt from this deconstruction-

• The importance of music within scene and the power it has to portray a specific emotion to the audience
•  The effect sound can have to build up tension and how it compliments each camera shot

Nightmare on Elm Street - Film Deconstruction

Lighting -  Generally throughout the film, low-key lighting is used. Lighting is used to manipulate the shadows in scenes to make Freddy look superior. Lighting is used to foreshadow up coming tragic events. Lighting gives the viewer a sense of fear of terror. Here is the first view of a victim in the film. Short hair, blonde, attractive which is the stereotype first victim in most horror films. Because the shot is so close to her face, the fear is very distinctive and viewers subconsciously may think that she will be first to get killed off.
This shot is also a shot from Freddy's POV. This shows how vulnerable the girl is. She turns and is face to face with Freddy

The lighting in this scene gives a sense of being trapped and shows the the lady cannot get out. The rusty metal and dust around adds to the sense of mysteriousness. The music also in this scene is a violin and could make the viewer feel uncertain about what is going to happen next.

Preliminary Task

The Preliminary Task

As practice for our final piece, we created a short film to hone our filming and editing skills.

The criteria for the preliminary task were that the video had to include:

• At least one match-on-action shot
• Dialogue between two people 
• A shot of someone walking across a room

Before we started filming, we made a short storyboard to plan our plot and camera angles. We ensured we included the points in the brief by planning the plot around the criteria.

What did we gain from this task?

Creating our preliminary task allowed us to work on our video filming and editing skills, as well as developing our understanding of how to use the equipment.

Research on Psychological Horror

Psychological Horror

Psychological horror is a sub-genre of horror which artfully plays on certain character's abnormal psyche to frighten the viewers. An important aspect of psychological horror includes the exposition of commonly experienced fears, revealing dark parts of the human psyche we commonly experience yet commonly hide or deny.

Film Poster for 'Rosemary's Baby', a classic psychological horror film

Shown above is the official film poster for the 1968 American film 'Rosemary's Baby', directed by Roman Polanski. The image of the boy's face is unnaturally large in comparison to the rest of the poster, which evokes a sense of uneasiness. The use of blank space on the poster interestingly creates a sense of curiosity, which ties in with the genre.

Jungian Psychology

Jungian psychology (sometimes called analytical psychology) is a branch of psychotherapy which refers to these 'supressed' inner emotions expressed within psychological horror fiction. These collectively unconscious archetypal Jungian characteristics include:

• paranoia of others 
• distrust of others
• suspicion 
• self-doubt

In Jungian psychology, the 'shadow aspects' of someone's personality refer to these traits, which our consciousness disregard. Carl Jung, the initiator of Jungian Psychology, said that 'everyone carries a shadow, and less the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is'. This idea that all of us possess 'hidden' qualities is used advantageously in psychological horror films to scare us.

Codes and Conventions of Psychological Horror

As part of our research, we decided it would be a good idea to make a brief list of the codes and conventions of psychological horror:

• plot twists are frequently used to confuse the viewer
• weapons - they are often not psychical weapons but are more supernatural/psychological
• there is often a feature of hallucinations or visions
• often set in realistic locations - this makes it more relatable for the viewer
• heavy visual feature of shadows and silhouettes 
• there is often a feature of flashbacks
• the music is often contrapuntal to the images on screen to evoke a sense of unnerving drama
• the main antagonist is usually a disturbed individual coming back for revenge
• a high proportion of the victims tend to be female
• the use of children as antagonists is very popular
• there is little visceral imagery used - the horror is more subtle

Personally, I think that this idea possibly links with Freud's theory of introspection - the things in other people we find unpleasant are irritating because they subconsciously remind us of ourselves. Perhaps this is what makes psychological horrors so chilling - they very slightly uproot fears and negative traits deep within us.

-Anna Humphreys

Film Deconstruction - Exorcist

Film Deconstruction - The Exorcist



For the majority of the film 'The Exorcist',low-key lighting. This means within the scene, there is one main light which allows the shot to have dark shadows and creates a eerie and scary look to the film. Through out the film,they use artificial lights mostly from within the house.

This film is very old (1972). The way they took advantage of lighting seems much too advanced for the year the film was made in. The decoration in the room is very minimal and creates a simplistic mood. The plain walls and plain bedding seem very abnormal to be in a child's bedroom and gives the essence of ambiguity. Due to the surroundings being so bare, the viewer feels alone and helpless. Make up is used to create horrific images in the Exorcist. In horror films, the lighting is dark most of the times which contributes the the mise en scene and this makes the perspective of the audience blurred and they are not fully aware of what's going on; doing this creates fear within the watcher because there is a sense of ambiguity.

Linda Blairs body language would not be so scary for the viewer if in broad daylight buy when it is combined with the lighting & makeup , it is almost impossible not to feel queasy.

Codes and conventions of the Gothic genre

Codes and conventions of the Gothic genre in 'Dracula'

As researched by Anna, there are several key features specialised the the gothic genre that makes it different to the others and creates a huge impact on the audience. The film 'Dracula' directed my Tod Browning and Karl Freund and published in 1931 conformed to the gothic genre. It effectively demonstrates the several codes and conventions of the gothic style throughout the entity of the film. The several conventions of gothic films applied on 'Dracula' are listed below:

- The supernatural is a common theme which is demonstrated by the main character as Dracula is a vampier who is clearly a inhumane monster. Furthermore, this also encompasses the idea of interacting with life after death which also a typical gothic theme.
-  Inanition the fact that the 'Dracula' is filmed in black and white gives it a sense of ambiguity and darkens the scenes which is a symbol of mystery
-  The sense of mystery is another common convention found in films of the gothic genre

-  In addition, the character of Mina represents a distressed female who is vulnerable to the antagonist
-   She gets attacked by Dracula but in the end fully recovers

- Ruby Verge

CART Media Logo

Project Logo Design

As a group we decided it would be a good idea to create a group logo. Using Adobe Photoshop, I trialled a number of logos. Upon discussion with my group, we decided we liked the logo shown below the most. The use of a consistent logo will make our project seem more professional and polished.

CARTmedia logo created by Tibet Keskin

Codes and Conventions of Supernatural Horror

The Use of Codes and Conventions in the Supernatural Film 'The Amityville Horror (1979)'

'The Amityville Horror' includes many of the main codes and conventions of a supernatural horror film. Directed by Stuart Rosenberg, it is an excellent depiction of a supernatural film, due to its inclusion of the fear of the unknown mixed with the concept of religion. 

As well as the main themes being spirits and religion, listed below is a list of several other conventions included in the film:

• The setting is based in the new home of the main character's family, therefore is close to the main characters and is where they are meant to feel the most safe and comfortable.
• The costuming and props are extremely subtle to create the sense of realism for the audience.
• Towards the end of the film, after suspense is built, loud noises are often incorporated to frighten the audience.
• The story line is based around signs from the unknown in their new home.
• As shown in the picture above, the lighting is often low and concentrated on one prop or character, such as the cross.
• The main events of the film often occur at night in addition to the low lighting.
• Finally, many objects, such as curtains and doors, move on their own to create fear and suspense among the audience. 
  

-Caera Mendez

Film Deconstruction - The Woman In Black

'The Woman in Black' Opening Scene Deconstruction and Analysis

Mise en Scene

Clothing

• The girls' clothing is of a Victorian style - this emphasises the influence of the Gothic, which was a popular literary style in the 19th Century
• The use of excess fabric in the form of ruffles and lace - depicts that the girls are wealthy, as well as making them appear innocent and youthful.
• The girls' clothing is of a pale, pastel colouring - this allows their dresses to seamlessly blend in with the scene's prominent colour scheme of earthy pastels, as well as highlighting their youth
• The recurring colour of white in the girls' clothing symbolises purity and innocence

Hairstyles

• The girls' hair is down yet neat, symbolising their youthfulness and childish innocence
• Their hairstyles feature a number of bows - this is a classic Victorian feminine symbol of youth and childhood, and almost likens the girls to dolls

Makeup

• The girls' entire lack of makeup emphasises their natural youthfulness and childhood

Furniture

• The walls are not white, they are an earthy neutral colour - this adds to the overall prominent colour scheme which highlights the femininity and youth in the scene
• The room is full of children's toys which add an eerie element to the scene, as Victorian toys are often associated with the Gothic

Sounds and Music

Diegetic Sounds

The start of the scene features minimal diegetic sounds. This adds an eerie element to the images and provokes an almost dream-like state. The first diegetic sounds appears when the young girl drops the teacup and then treads on the china toys. These sounds help evoke a sense of uneasiness within the viewer, as well as the sound of smashing perhaps foreshadowing the girls' deaths to come. The only other diegetic sound featured is the sound of the mother's scream as she witnesses the death of the young girls. The fact that is the first voice in the film creates an element of surprise, enhancing the tragedy of the mothers' exclamation. Additionally, the way in which the music comes to a stop before the mother cries out emphasises the pure horror in the mother's voice.

Non Diegetic Sounds

The scene opens with high pitched music, with a heavy feature of wind instruments and tuned percussion (a glockenspiel perhaps). The melody line can be likened to a nursery rhyme, which adds a 'creepy' element to the scene. Initially, the music is contrapuntal to the pleasant images of the girls playing and laughing, however as the girls become visibly possessed the music becomes parallel to the mood of the scene. The use of a minor key again emphasises the eerie images, and the use of cantabile tone with its falling sequential note patterns bears aural similarities to the sounds of the human voice, for example the sound of a deep sigh. This imitates the eeriness of the piece, and makes the music sound much more frightening. As the scene goes on the music thickens in texture, which aids in the build up of tension. The sound of church bells also features, which again transforms a usually-pleasant sound into a tense, creepy sound. Towards the end of the scene, the tension is further increased through the use of an ascending brass sounding note. The dramatic end to the note leaves the viewer with a sense of foreboding, and results in a final drop of tension as the girls jump from the window. After the main music has stopped, a high pitched discordant strings instrument sounds, which retains the scary feel to the piece. The use of this unpleasant sound is very uncomfortable to listen to, which adds to the sense of uneasiness. As the camera frame changes to the face of the doll, a very low ranged percussion instrument plays simultaneously to add emphasis to the images on screen. Overall, I think that in this scene sound is used mostly for the build up and release of tension. If the sounds were stripped away, I doubt that scene would have anywhere near its potential power.

Lighting

• Soft lighting is used - this adds to the childish, floral aesthetic of the scene, as well as emphasising the neutral colour scheme.
• The lighting appears naturalistic - this again emphasises the innocence of the children as the lighting corresponds with the earthy pastel coloured scenery
• In the shot of the girls walking towards the windows, there is a significant amount of light coming through them. This not only draws the viewers attention to them, but the bright light could metaphorically signify the forthcoming deaths of the girls, as a bright white light is often a symbolic representation of death and heaven.
• At the end of the scene the side-lit shot of the china doll means that the dolls' features look distorted and uneven, perhaps adding to the uneasiness and unfamiliarity of the scene.

Camera Technique

• The scene opens with a series of close up shots of the girls pouring pretend teas. The ambiguity of these empty teapots initiates a sense of confusion and uneasiness within the scene
• The first part of the scene is filmed from a low position, as though the camera were in the place of a child's eyes. This makes the viewer feel as though they are a part of the scene, and on the same level as the characters.
• At approximately 0:33 there is a high angle shot. This almost feels as though the girls are being watched secretly from a corner, which links in with the possession of the girls as they simultaneously look directly at the camera. This is uncomfortable to watch, and subtly lets the viewer know that this high camera angle is in fact the eyes of the being that possesses the girls
• The angle then switches back to the low position as the girls turn to face the window
• The camera then faces the three windows, and slowly zooms in on them. This creates tension and a sense of foreboding, as well as emphasising the windows themselves.
• The camera then uses various close up shots of the girls' feet, clothing and then hands as one of them drops her toy.
• The close ups of the girls treading on their toys and kicking the doll are extremely disturbing, and the close up shot emphasises this. It is at this point that the viewer is informed that the girls have been possessed and are in a trance-like state.
• Next, the camera is placed outside the window, and moves backwards in a possible dolly shot to show the girls walking towards the window
• There is a close up shot of the girl turning the handle of the window before the camera switches back to filming the girls from behind stepping and jumping out of the window.
• The camera lingers here for a few seconds, which adds emphasis and drama to the scene
• Then a close up shot of a china doll is featured, followed by a slow zoom out of the empty room. Interestingly, one fault that I noticed in this particular shot was the fact that although the girls were previously shown to have crushed the toys on the floor as they walked, the floor in the last shot contains intact toys, with no mess from where the girls had shattered the china dolls.

What have I learned from deconstructing this opening scene?

• the importance of music within a scene
• the power and effect of using eye-level shots for emphasis and eeriness, and to appear as though the camera is the eyes of the antagonist

-Anna Humphreys

Supernatural Horror

SUPERNATURAL HORROR

Supernatural horror is a sub-genre that is based among extra-terrestrial elements in society, for example, ghosts, gods, the devil and miracles. The sub-genre often creates apprehension among the audience as it consistently focuses and plays on the fear of the unknown, therefore often includes and exaggerates on the theme of religion and the undead. A few of the many examples of supernatural horror consist of Paranormal Activity, the Conjuring and the Amityville Horror.

As mentioned previously, one of the main themes that occur in the supernatural sub-genre is religion. This is because it is something that cannot be proven or explained, which creates fear among many. It is also something that many people turn to for answers and reassurance when feeling uneasy or worried, so therefore by incorporating that into horror it establishes a trepidity among a concept that so many people trust. 

We decided to research and consider a supernatural horror as it would allow us to play around with lighting (mainly using low-key), as well as subtle props and strong mise-en-scene. Some of the main codes and conventions are as follows:

• A setting close to the protagonist (usually their home)
• Simple costumes and subtle props
• Story line is usually based around a death or a "sign" from the unknown
• Slow, deep music to build suspense.
• Loud noises to scare the audience.
• Usually based in a suburban area, separated from society.
• Dark and low lighting.
• Many high angle shots to show setting and create a feeling of the audience being watched. 
• Many things such as curtains and doors moving on their own to symbolise the entering of the dead. 

Pros and cons of creating a supernatural horror:

The Pros:

• Experiment and play with lighting and music 
• Really focus on mise-en-scene
• Conventions are simple to follow
• You can use a range of shots which are not typically used (high angle)
• Simple costuming

The Cons:

• May struggle to make it seem authentic
• Easy to be similar to many other supernatural horrors
• Not able to experiment with props
• Difficult to create supernatural occurrences, such as doors opening on their own etc.

-Caera Mendez 

Codes and Conventions of Slasher Films

The Use of Codes and Conventions in the Slasher Film 'Scream'

As researched by Ruby, there are a list of common themes that appear throughout the majority of slasher films. The film 'Scream' directed by Wes Craven is an excellent application of these conventions, as almost all of them are apparent throughout the film. Listed below is a list of several conventions of slasher films and how they apply to 'Scream'.

• A final girl is established from the beginning - Casey appears in the first scene and survives the duration of the film
• The final girl is usually very reserved - The mise en scene denotes Casey's innocence from the first scene; she wears limited makeup and has a reserved outfit on. The colour scheme used in the interior of her house consists of neutral, warm colours, again mirroring her innocence and youthfulness.

Casey in the first scene

• The killer usually wears a mask -  In 'Scream', the killer wears a mask to hide his identity
• The killer usually has a weapon that is able to pierce the skin - The killer has a knife which he uses to attack and kill his victims

The masked killer in 'Scream'

•  The killer kills one member of a community at a time -  In 'Scream' the killer murders each one of Casey's school friends one by one
• The setting will be in every day circumstances - The setting is in the main character's hometown, which is very 'ordinary' and relatable for the viewer
• Slasher films are always rated R - Scream was originally rated at an NC:17, but was later revisited and edited to an R rating

-Anna Humphreys

Research on the Slasher Genre

Research on Slasher Horror Films

Slasher is a sub-genre of the horror genre which typically involves a mysterious killer who stalks, attacks and violently kills a sequence of characters which is usually very graphic.

We decided to research Slashers as our group thought it was a strong favourite to do for our film opening as the element of mystery with the killer interested us. Furthermore, we believe our ability to create stage makeup will benefit us due to the very graphic element slashers attain. 

• The antagonist will usually have a hidden identity usually achieved by creative lighting, camera effects or a mask will be worn

• Weapon will be something to pierce the skin. The killers weapon choice is always hand held, being ones that will involve the killer being close to the victim, such as a knife, chainsaw or sharp claws

• Killer picks off one member in a community at a time 

• May have a subtle supernatural element 

• Killer is dispassionate. They will show little emotion throughout the whole film.

• A common convention is that there will be a final girl. she will be a refined, conservative character, appearing very innocent and angelic therefore conforming to the gender stereotype of females. However, he may have  skill as she will end up overpowering or defeating the antagonist

• It is set in everyday conditions making it seem very realistic 

• Usually 18 certificate

• Usually has very graphic scenes 

Pros of the Slasher genre:
- The genre is clearly identifiable to the audience which will be helpful in our film opening
- Many people desire the more graphic and violent style
- It will be easier to film as it will be set in everyday conditions
- There are lots of opportunities for stage make-up and advanced editing
- There are currently many existing films which we can take inspiration from

Cons of the Slasher genre:
- The props, makeup and costumes may be very hard to make look realistic 
- As slasher is quite common it may be difficult to find a original and new story line 
- High levels of skills required to effectively build up the tension


Some well know slasher films are 'My bloody valentine' and 'Scream' as seen above, and after watching them we could identify the key features of a slasher film which were made very evident. We especially focused of the graphic scenes as the there carefully and technically filmed to create a huge, shocking impact which has definitely provided us with inspiration for our opening scene.   

- Ruby Verge

Initial Ideas Brainstorm

Group Brainstorm of Initial Ideas

As soon as we initiated our coursework groups, we decided to have a discussion brainstorming any ideas we have in mind for our film opening.

We quickly and easily came to a group decision that our film was going to be a Horror film, as we all thought this would be the best way to input our creativity into stage production, lighting and makeup. However, we are yet to decide on a sub-genre of horror. 

In our discussion we ran through any sub-genres we had in mind, verbally listing the pros and cons of each. We also exchanged any ideas of locations to use in our opening, and how we could go about obtaining access to these locations. Below is a brief summary of our discussion which I made as we spoke. I managed to make a note of the key points we discussed, however inevitably I missed out some of the finer details of our conversation. 

How was this useful?

As a group we found this initial brainstorming task particularly useful as we were able to gain a deeper understanding of each other's creative thought processes. Although not included in the mind map, we had a discussion about which roles in the project would suit us best. We said that we would aim to each attempt all the different aspects of the production process, but we established that Caera has already developed skills in stage makeup, Tibet has prior knowledge of the editing process and Ruby and I would be best suited to direct and initiate creative ideas. We also discussed who would be best at acting in the scene - and Tibet volunteered as the person would feel most confident at playing a villainous role.

This initial discussion also gave us confidence in the sense that we knew we had many realistic ideas, which also motivated us to get started with our blog and project.

-Anna Humphreys

Research on Gothic Horror

Gothic Horror

Gothic Horror is a popular fusion of death, horror and romance. It began in the form of literature in the Victorian era during the enlightenment, where people began to shift from the religious belief in heaven and hell to a more questioning stance on what happens after death. A few classic examples of Gothic literature would include 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' and 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley.

As a group, we have considered Gothic Horror as a genre because it could allow us to incorporate imaginative stage, costume and makeup production. In order to create a suitably Gothic film opening, we decided to research the common conventions of Gothic film and literature. They are as follows:

• Weather - used as pathetic fallacy to emphasise the mood of the piece
• Dreams - characters often fall into a dream-like trance
• The Supernatural - the villain often has one or more supernatural qualities
• A Distressed Female - women are typically portrayed as sensitive and innocent
• Dark lighting (in Gothic Horror films) - depicts eerie mood
• An exploration of life after death - plays on audience's fear of the unknown
• A sense of mystery - creates a compelling storyline

Pros and Cons of Choosing Gothic Horror

As a group we decided to evaluate the pros and cons of choosing to create a film opening based on the theme of Gothic Horror.

The Pros:

• Allows us to experiment with costume, lighting and makeup
• Conventions are simple to follow
• Our film opening should be easily identifiable as a depiction of Gothic Horror
• We will be able to experiment with the set by adding Gothic-style furniture
• There are many existing pieces of Gothic Literature we will be able to take inspiration from

The Cons:

• Creating authentic hair and makeup may be difficult
• Finding a setting with an authentic Gothic style may be difficult
• We may struggle to fill the scene with realistic looking Gothic interior
• Gothic Horror is arguably a fairly uncommon film genre, so we may find it difficult to find existing pieces for inspiration

-Anna Humphreys