Plot- Couple of girls home alone receive a disturbing phone call from a man which they excuse as a prank. One of the girls leave and the phone calls start again, they become increasingly disturbed and the man begins to taunt the girl. She then discovers he can see her every move and becomes a prisoner in her own home.
Production Company- Rainy days
Group roles- Director-Abbie Brown
Camera work-Toby Lydon
Props-Aleisha Beaumont
Musical director-Whole group
Actors- Aleisha-Girl who is the target of the serial killer
Abbie-Friend of the girl who leaves
Toby-Serial Killer
Emma-Delivery girl
Setting- Lead characters home
Filming Style- Reality
Title of film- The Reject
Monday, 14 November 2011
Film Production Companies Logos
20th Century Fox: Is one of the most notable production company logos there is and is famed for movies such as Avatar and Ice Age. The logo appears to be a monument towering over everything, it feels ominous and looks powerful. It has towers of light beaming into the sky which connote how it can be seen from a distance standing out from its surroundings.
DreamWorks: Is another of the big well known production companies and is best know for creating Kung Fu Panda and shrek. The logo is of a boy perched on the moon fishing in the lake below. DreamWorks creates many fantasy epics and the logo gives the sense of the type of film they make. It is dreamlike and appealing compared to other logos.
Paramount: Has created many much loved movies such as Paranormal Activity and Team America. The logo is a mountain surrounded by a halo of stars. The mountain connotes that it is the peak of entertainment, that the films they make are the the best of the best. The stars connote its array of A listers who line up to be part of there films.
Universal: Gladiator, Shaun of the Dead and Bridesmaids are all works of Universal. The title of the company gives a sense of how epic it is, it is not only global it is universal. Behind the title there is the earth surrounded by a bright glow this connotes that the company is out of this world.
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WARNER BROS PICTURES: Is the company responsible for giving us the Harry Potter saga, Batman the Dark Knight and Ghost Ship. The logo is a huge golden shield floating in the sky. Its position in the sky gives a sense that it is grand and that its films are 'sky high'. The Gold connotes richness and also style.
Italian job title sequence
The title sequence is similar to many other title sequence in regard to the order in which things are presented, such as the production company, actors and title of the film. It is very similar to Se7en because it shows you snippets of the film setting and gives you a rough idea about the film plot.
- Production company logo
- Very simple opening, brief snippets of the setting of the film
- Title sequence 2:00mins long
- Credits, actors, music
- Introducing characters through various cross cuts
Friday, 4 November 2011
1408 title sequence
14 Secs-A black screen 'Dimension Films Presents' - (Production company).
29 Secs-Rainy road, low key lighting. Pathetic fallacy- weather matches tone of the film. First actor name appears (John Cusack)
35 Secs-Camera pans across the road and the actor's name 'Samuel L. Jackson' appears on the screen.
43 Secs-Title fades with a ghostly glow.
45 Secs-The car stops and reverses - the camera tracks the car.
53 Secs-Close up of the driver shinning a torch.
56 Secs-Point of View shot of the road sign - adds to the idea of him being lost.
60 Secs-Close up of the driver looking at the map to try and figure out where he is.
75 Secs-Car pulling into an isolated house in the middle of the woods - connotes horror.
84 Secs-The rain has got even worse as the driver stumbles over the bridge.
94 Secs-Point of View shot possibly by something or someone watching character walking up to the house.
97 Secs-Mise-en-scene immediately changes to high key lighting and neutral colours on the walls as a possible calming meaning.
108 Secs-Dialogue exchanged "Mike Checking In" which shows that the isolated building is a hotel.
119 Secs-The owners of the hotel begin to explain about the haunted history of the building.
29 Secs-Rainy road, low key lighting. Pathetic fallacy- weather matches tone of the film. First actor name appears (John Cusack)
35 Secs-Camera pans across the road and the actor's name 'Samuel L. Jackson' appears on the screen.
43 Secs-Title fades with a ghostly glow.
45 Secs-The car stops and reverses - the camera tracks the car.
53 Secs-Close up of the driver shinning a torch.
56 Secs-Point of View shot of the road sign - adds to the idea of him being lost.
60 Secs-Close up of the driver looking at the map to try and figure out where he is.
75 Secs-Car pulling into an isolated house in the middle of the woods - connotes horror.
84 Secs-The rain has got even worse as the driver stumbles over the bridge.
94 Secs-Point of View shot possibly by something or someone watching character walking up to the house.
97 Secs-Mise-en-scene immediately changes to high key lighting and neutral colours on the walls as a possible calming meaning.
108 Secs-Dialogue exchanged "Mike Checking In" which shows that the isolated building is a hotel.
119 Secs-The owners of the hotel begin to explain about the haunted history of the building.
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Title sequence of Se7en
Se7en
2 seconds-An extreme close up of an open book.
3 seconds-Production company logo appears over book ''New Line Cinema Presents''.
7 seconds-First of several inter titles.
8 seconds-Close up of distorted hands.
13 seconds-First actors name appears in form of an inter title ''Brad Pitt''
16 seconds-Extreme close up of fingers being peeled with razor blades.
18 seconds-Further actors names including ''Morgan Freeman''.
23 seconds-Title of film.
24 seconds-An edit is used so that the title flickers and gets bigger.
29 seconds-Gwyneth Paltrow appears over a page in an open book.
34 seconds-Close up of pen writing on paper.
36 seconds-Red filter appears across the screen distorting the background.
39 seconds-Extreme close up of scissors cutting film negatives.
43 seconds-Aerial shot of various photographs.
52 seconds-Various pages in a book.
1.01-Point of view shot of black marker pen crossing out words on a page and eyes in photographs.
1.14-Photograph completely crossed out by marker pen and covered in a red filter.
1.19-Film negatives.
1.25-Extreme close up of grubby fingers binding a book with tiny hooks.
1.30-Pans through photos.
1.36-Extreme close up of fingers playing with needle.
1.42-Threading the needle.
2.01-Close up of the word God from a bank note.
I have been looking at a variety of different opening sequences to get an understanding of how they are used so that i can gain enough knowledge to help me in making the title sequence of my horror film. I have started with se7en but have also looked at 1408, when a stranger calls and the Italian job.
29 seconds-Gwyneth Paltrow appears over a page in an open book.
34 seconds-Close up of pen writing on paper.
36 seconds-Red filter appears across the screen distorting the background.
39 seconds-Extreme close up of scissors cutting film negatives.
43 seconds-Aerial shot of various photographs.
52 seconds-Various pages in a book.
1.01-Point of view shot of black marker pen crossing out words on a page and eyes in photographs.
1.14-Photograph completely crossed out by marker pen and covered in a red filter.
1.19-Film negatives.
1.25-Extreme close up of grubby fingers binding a book with tiny hooks.
1.30-Pans through photos.
1.36-Extreme close up of fingers playing with needle.
1.42-Threading the needle.
2.01-Close up of the word God from a bank note.
I have been looking at a variety of different opening sequences to get an understanding of how they are used so that i can gain enough knowledge to help me in making the title sequence of my horror film. I have started with se7en but have also looked at 1408, when a stranger calls and the Italian job.
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Results of questionnaire
After completing my questionnaire I gathered the results to try and see whether the age and sex of a person determines the choice of movie they would like to watch.
From the questionnaires results it was clear to me that the age and sex does greatly determine film choice. The younger males who filled out my questionnaire on average decided that action and adventure movies were their favourite while almost all the younger females put that they preferred romance. This appears to be a social stereotype although it is possible that due to their age they may not be allowed to watch horror or comedy films due to serious issues like disturbing scenes and rude language. The results of the younger participants also indicated that many children prefer watching movies in a cinema although they may not go often. Most likely because for a younger person a trip to the cinema with the family is treat and only done every so often.
The results of the late teen and young adult participants were largely the same and unlike the previous results there is a less clear disparity between the sexes. Horror and comedy films came out on top with many saying they would also prefer to watch a movie in the cinema. Film ratings may influence what type of film they would watch but overall there reason for watching films in the first place were based on the actors appearing in the movie and the budget of the film. When it comes to the cinema almost every participant said that it was the atmosphere they preferred when at a cinema as well as the size of the screen. They said that horror movies were always better at the cinema because of the lighting which added to the experience.
From the questionnaires results it was clear to me that the age and sex does greatly determine film choice. The younger males who filled out my questionnaire on average decided that action and adventure movies were their favourite while almost all the younger females put that they preferred romance. This appears to be a social stereotype although it is possible that due to their age they may not be allowed to watch horror or comedy films due to serious issues like disturbing scenes and rude language. The results of the younger participants also indicated that many children prefer watching movies in a cinema although they may not go often. Most likely because for a younger person a trip to the cinema with the family is treat and only done every so often.
The results of the late teen and young adult participants were largely the same and unlike the previous results there is a less clear disparity between the sexes. Horror and comedy films came out on top with many saying they would also prefer to watch a movie in the cinema. Film ratings may influence what type of film they would watch but overall there reason for watching films in the first place were based on the actors appearing in the movie and the budget of the film. When it comes to the cinema almost every participant said that it was the atmosphere they preferred when at a cinema as well as the size of the screen. They said that horror movies were always better at the cinema because of the lighting which added to the experience.
Questionnaire about film habits
Are you male or female?
Male
Female
What is your favourite genre of movie?
Horror
Thriller
Action
Comedy
Sci-Fi
Adventure
Romance
Where do you prefer to watch a film?
At home
At cinema
Reason?
What influences you to watch a certain film?
Budget
Actors
Director
Writer
What is your age?
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Research on popular horror films
Based on user ratings from the world wide popular movie site IMDB I have created a list of the top ten horror movies from a list of over 50 critically acclaimed movies. Based on reviews and star ratings it is easy to see what conventions in horror movies are the most desirable.
What Lies Beneath (2000) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6/10 X The wife of a university research scientist believes that her lakeside Vermont home is haunted by a ghost - or that she's losing her mind. | $155M | ||
2. | Gremlins (1984) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7/10 X A boy inadvertently breaks 3 important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town. | $148M | |
3. | The Blair Witch Project (1999) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6/10 X Three film students travel to Maryland to make a student film about a local urban legend... The Blair Witch... | $141M | |
4. | A Christmas Carol (2009) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6/10 X An animated retelling of Charles Dickens' classic novel about a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption, courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions. | $138M | |
5. | Godzilla (1998) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4/10 X A enormous, radioactively mutated lizard runs rampant on the island of Manhattan. | $136M | |
6. | The Ring (2002) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.2/10 X A young journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone in a week of viewing it. | $129M | |
7. | The Grudge (2004) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.7/10 X An American nurse living and working in Tokyo is exposed to a mysterious supernatural curse, one that locks a person in a powerful rage before claiming their life and spreading to another victim. | $110M | |
8. | Paranormal Activity (2007) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.5/10 X After moving into a suburban home, a couple becomes increasingly disturbed by a nightly demonic presence. | $108M | |
9. | Scream (1996) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7/10 X A killer known as "ghost face" begins killing off teenagers, and as the body count begins rising, one girl and her friends find themselves contemplating the "Rules" of horror films as they find themselves living in a real-life one. | $103M | |
10. | Scream 2 (1997) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.0/10 X Two years after the events of the first film, a new psychopath dons the "Ghost face" costume and a new string of murders begin. | 101$M |
It is clear to see which conventions in horror movies are used the most and do the best in box office. Films that appear most regularly in this list introduce ghosts or other super natural creatures as their main ploy to target the horror market. This shows that the horror genre in recent times has grasped onto the love of supernatural and use it most in order to receive acclaim by their audiences.
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
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