Hi I am Simon Duffy and I am currently studying AS Media at Hackney community college. My blog will contain the pre-production and evaluation of a horror opening sequence I will be filming in the near future.
The most important sound effect I added was the squelchy stabbing sound. The sound used is similar to the over the top sounds used in other slasher films. It gives the part of the scene where it is used a more graphic and visceral edge.
I used a static sound for the tv to show that something had changed since the victim had left the room. This could create intrigue as the audience may think "that wasn't there before" and so sets them up for the disturbance.
I added a loud banging sound effect to denote someone knocking on the door. Due to it's loud volume it will create intrigue as to the source and the reason why someone would bang so loud in the middle of the night, as this usually only happens in the case of an emergency (police).
I obtained all the sound effects I used from the internet (http://www.soundbible.com/) and imported them into IMovie.
Non-Diegetic
Title Music: Interlude with Ludes by Them Crooked Vultures
I choose this song as it has a surreal and haunting timbre which expresses the atmosphere of my film and the mental dissonance of the killer. The lyrics in the first verse ("I've always been behind you, so I think we should meet, I've sharpened my knives, so I'm gonna use them") perfectly reflect the story, characters and mood of my sequence and typifies the themes that are predominant in the slasher sub-genre. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRSOrP2qolw
In regards to marketing, the band 'Them Crooked Vultures ' are listened predominantly by white men between the ages of 18-24 which is the same target audience my production is targeted at. Therefore if my film was distributed a soundtrack could be released to accompany the films release.
To create a stabbing effect that looked relatively realistic I used an old box that was a similar size to my actor and dressed it in the t-shirt his character (the victim) was wearing.
I then filmed 2 different shots; 1 stabbing the box without fake blood and 1 stabbing the box with fake blood applied (with the idea of cutting from one to the other with a close up of the victims face as an intermediate shot).
After editing the footage (without sound) this is how it turned out..........
One of the criteria that our productions will be marked on is the variety of shots used. As a result I have tried to incorporate as many different shots and shot angles into my production as possible whilst using them correctly to create a certain effect e.g. using a P.O.V. shot to create sympathy for the victim. I will use the following shots in my production (in order):
While not particularly scary to look at by itself, when in conjunction with the dark clothing, low lighting and other mise-en-scene (knife e.t.c.), the mask contributes to the dark atmosphere of my production and creates fear and intrigue as to the identity of the killer. The innocent, childlike mask when juxtaposed with the actions of the killer creates a morbid effect and solidifies the disturbed mental state of the killer. The use of the mask also plays on the irrational fear some people have of masks (Maskaphobia) and the fear of clowns too (Coulrophobia) which is created by the impossibility to gauge the emotions of the wearer. Other films which have played on this fear include 'IT' ( A film based on a Stephen King novel about a killer clown) and Halloween. It is conventional for killers in slasher movies to wear masks to dehumanize them and also because psychologically most people find the idea of being murdered by an unidentifiable person scarier than being murdered by someone you know (especially when killed without reason).
Clothing
I have used clothing and colour to create distinction between the victims and the killers. With the exception of the mask, the killer is dressed in all black as black connotes evil and power. The lack of colour signifies the absence of emotion that the killer possesses and that perhaps death surrounds him. The black clothing when used with low lighting also deprives the audience of the ability to see him which can create fear. Both the victims are dressed in white which connotes innocence and purity, so makes it easier for the audience to sympathise with them and accentuates how malefic the killer is. From a practical perspective blood (fake or otherwise) is most visible on white clothing so will enhance the look of the special fx used and show that the character is in extreme danger which will add to the excitement/fear.
Props
The Weapon
Even though knives are used primarily for eating with they are still an instrument of fear because of the ammount of damage a single blow can cause to the human body. The recent increase in knife crime has exacerbated this fear and so I feel its inclusion in my production will be effective at creating fear and discomfort for the audience. By choosing to arm my killer with a knife I am following the conventions of the slasher sub-genre as many of the prominent killers in this sub-genre use knives. The combination of the white mask and the knife was chosen as a homage to Scream which has heavily influenced my production. I chose to do this as I feel the opening to scream is the most successful and well executed opening to a slasher and I hoped to emulate it's effective use of the codes and conventions.
Xbox/TV
The use of the xbox in my production was selected to create recognition between the victim and the audience as one of the aspects of my target audience was those whos lifestyles included playing videogames. By showing the character playing video games and how he acts whilst doing so, allows the audience to build a picture of the type of person he is (personality, lifestyle e.t.c), which helps to create a connection between the audience and the character and allow equilibrium to be established. As horror films rely on making the ordinary scary, the concepts used by film makers have occasionally integrated domestic technologies into the way in which fear is created. An example of this would be The Ring in which the antagonist climbs out of the victims tv before killing them. This idea inspired me to include a scene in my production in which the victims sees the killer kill someone on his tv before the attention of the killer is turned on to him.
Lighting
With the exception of one scene, lighting was not considered and standard domestic lighting was used. In the scene that lighting was important, a light was positioned at a high angle to highlight the victim, showing him in a vulnerable position surrounded by darkness and at the mercy of the killer. When the killer enters the shot, the foreground where he is standing is in darkness which he blends into, depriving the audience of the ability to see him clearly. In the reveal when he turns around (after killing the victim) and we can see he is wearing the mask the other character has just found, the light was used to reveal just enough of the mask as to be recognisable. The other side of the mask remains hidden which creates a sinister visual effect when in reality the mask is not scary looking at all.
Slasher films appeal to a predominantly male audience as men in general are more likely to enjoy films that contain graphic violence. It could be said that the slasher sub-genre may alienate women by constantly showing the predation upon them and that the juvenile sexual content (sometimes bordering on soft core pornography) may also repel them. Because of these reasons my film will target a male audience.
Age - 18~24
My film will target this age bracket because in general they are the audience that are attracted to the themes present in the slasher sub-genre (death, violence, sex e.t.c). As my film will not challenge convention and will follow the typical slasher formula (masked man goes on killing spree), audiences older than those I have targeted may find it immature and repetitive. My film would most likely be classified with an 18 certificate making anyone under this age irrelevant. The victim in my sequence will be identifiable to the 18-24 age group as he resides within this bracket and is playing video games in the sequence which a large percentage of this age group do.
Race - White
My film will be targeted at this race as fans of slasher films are predominantly white nerdy young men and I feel my production will appeal to this group in particular. Although the only actors who's faces are visible are black, which would suggest it was targeted at a black audience, the film would still be viewed by a mainly white audience as they make up the largest percentage of cinema goers (for slasher films).
Class/Education
In general class is synonymous with education and the class that is typically targeted at when considering a slasher film is the working class. The Middle to upper classes typically prefers a more cerebral experience when watching a movie which the slasher sub-genre does not cater to. My movie will be targeted at working class people.
Slasher fans at a convention
If my production was to actually be distributed I would advertise it in Gamer magazines such as OXM as well as magazines such as ZOO and Nuts as these magazines share the same target audience as my production. I would also create a promotion where people who pre-booked tickets to watch my film would recieve masks in the same style as the one worn by the killer of my film.
Target Audience of the texts I researched
Scream.
Scream targeted the same demographic I have; white men between the ages 18-24. From looking at the video above (queue for the premiere of Scream 4) this is evident as, although there is a mixture of ethnicities and both men and women are represented in that queue, the queue is made up of predominantly young white men. Something that Wes Craven (Director) did that was unique, with regards to target audience, was adding the character Randy Meeks. Randy Meeks (played by Jamie Kennedy) is a representation of the archetypal horror movie fan, with an encylopedic knowledge of the horror genre including the codes, conventions, history e.t.c. who comments on the situation the characters are in with reference to his knowledge of horror films. While this was done in an ironic fashion, the representation still identifies the target audience of the film and the people most likely to watch it.
A man is playing Xbox online at home on his own when he hears a loud bang on the door. He investigates the noise but doesn't find anything expect a mask on his doorstep. He goes inside with the mask and places it on the banister thinking that it is a practical joke. When he returns to his room the game that he was playing is no longer on the television. Instead a film starts playing showing a man tied up on his knees with a man in black standing over him wielding a knife. The man in black stabs the tied up man before turning to the camera and pointing. The killer is wearing the same mask that the man found at his doorstep. In a panic the man runs to the banister to make sure it is the same mask that he has just found but it is not there. The killer comes behind him and stabs him repeatedly in the back before pushing him down the stairs.
Original Idea
A blind man is in his home with his guide dog. We see him running a bath or doing domestic chores. His dog senses something and goes to investigate. The blind man is curious as to where his helper has gone so goes to investigate too.
He finds his dog covered in blood and perhaps decapitated. He panics and tries to get up but slips on the dogs blood. He crawls to where he thinks his white cane is. The blind man reaches desperately for his cane until it is suddenly placed in front of him. Just as the blind man grips the cane an assailant stabs his hand with a knife, pinning him to the floor.
The blind man screams and the assailant stabs him again. The killer then proceeds to remove the blind man’s eyes with his knife and the last shot is of the blind man with his eyes removed. The title sequence begins: Gouge
Originally I was going to use this idea for my film but I had to change it due to many complications. Arranging a time when all the actors could be in one place at the same time was one of the main problems, aswell as the fact that even though the dog is well trained it is hard to make him behave exactly as wanted.
The sub-genre my production will fall under is the slasher sub genre. The slasher sub-genre has many codes and conventions that make it distinct from other sub-genres.
Killer:
The killer is usually of human form but with supernatural abilities or at least the appearance of supernatural abilities e.g. Halloweens killer Michael Myers is shot several times but is not killed, Freddy Krueger was killed but can somehow kill people in their dreams etc. The killer is usually a male with a unique costume or mask separating him from the victims and other killers of the sub-genre. An example would be the hockey mask worn by Jason Voorhees in the Friday the 13th sequels. Sometimes the killer is seen to have a history of violence or abuse which has created the homicidal maniac he has become.
Weapon of choice:
The killer usually uses a knife, scythe or other stabbing implement to kill his victims. The choice of weapons goes hand in hand with the higher degree of graphic violence contained in the slasher genre. The use of phallic weapons is also to symbolize the psychosexual nature of the killer and that perhaps he gets some sort of twisted/perverted pleasure by stabbing sexually active teenagers. The killers in Scream and Halloween use a knife and the killer in Nightmare on Elm Street uses a glove with bladed fingers.
Victims:
The victims are usually teens or college students which may be because stereotypically they are more likely to be involved in immoral acts or perhaps because the target audience is usually late- teens, college students. The sense of horror/excitement is then increased as the similarities between the victims and the audience facilitates sympathy/apathy. Typically the victims are not random but have some ties with the killers past.
Like most sub genres of horror there is usually a sole survivor, however in slasher films that particular survivor is usually a white female referred to as the final girl or virgin girl. She is usually the most moral of her peers and the one who finally defeats the killer (Jamie Lee Curtis' character in Halloween).
Settings:
Slasher films are typically set in locations where you would expect to see the victims/target audience e.g. high school, college, summer camp, house parties etc. They are places usually isolated from adult society or just isolated in general to remove the idea of rescue. The films can largely take place during the day, however any scene involving an attack by the killer is usually set at night reinforcing the boogieman image of the killer.
Similar Texts
To ensure my film is identifiable as a slasher film I researched films of the same sub-genre to see what codes and conventions they used and how they could possibly influence my production.
Scream
When I was initially told that we would be making a horror opening sequence, the film Scream is what first came to mind. It contains my favourite opening sequence and is probably, alongside the opening to Halloween, the most memorable title sequence of the slasher sub-genre. The story in the opening sequence is masterfully constructed around the codes and conventions of the slasher sub-genre and contains more sophistication than is usually expected from a slasher film.
The opening sequence.....
From watching this sequence I learnt a lot about the codes and conventions of the slasher sub-genre as well as what camera techniques and shots are effective and how to pace the scene. The themes that were present in this sequence were murder, the predation of women by a maniac and gore to name a few. The scene taught me that it is conventional for the victim to be a young, white girl who in this sequence proves to be particularly shocking when we see the manner in which she is slaughtered and then hung. The killer is disguised and hidden in a mask and costume which makes him seem even more sinister and otherworldly than he would without. The killer uses a knife to kill his victims which are chosen because of the level of brutality this weapon provides and also to show the psychosexual fury the killer possesses. I have learnt that music is used to accentuate particularly suspenseful parts of a scene and is also a good tool to add atmosphere to your scene. I have learnt that it can add to the feeling of fear if the killer taunts or tortures the victims before murdering them. The use of a chase scene is effective at increasing the excitement as it plays on the common nightmare of being unable to escape something. Cross cutting was used to create a sense of hope that the victim may be saved which is ultimately crushed when the killer kills her adding to the shocking effect of the scene.
From watching this sequence I have decided that the killer in my movie will also wear a mask and use a knife as I believe it is a very easy way to add authenticity to my production and because the killer in the sequence looks very menacing. This sequence has also influenced me to use music which I feel will compliment the action on screen. The killer uses a phone to taunt the victim so my killer may use technology to taunt the victims in my production or even use it to kill them. P.O.V shots are used in this sequence which I will also do in my production as I feel they are effective at creating sympathy for the victim and for engaging the audience.
Halloween
Halloween was the first slasher I ever watched and as I was young at the time I found it very scary. The now iconic theme tune was what scared me the most as well as the mask and the way in which we were given the P.O.V of the killer.
The opening sequence.....
The themes prevalent in this sequence are almost identical to those of scream except with the addition of sex and nudity. What I learnt from this sequence is that the P.O.V shot can have an unnerving effect on the audience if it is the P.O.V of the killer. I also learnt that slashers are usually set in American suburbs which may be because the target audience is people who live in sub-urban areas or maybe because violence rarely happens in the suburbs of America so it accentuates the fear. Another point about the location is that it is obvious my film will not be set in the same type of location so my film will challenge convention in this respect.
This sequence has influenced me as I now want to include a P.O.V shot from the killer’s perspective in my production. I would also like to use the voyeuristic way in which the killer behaves as I believe this is useful for building tension. The use of sound effects is very well done in this sequence so I will see how I can add sound FX to enhance my own production when I begin editing.
Horror is a genre with a tempestuous history. From the first horror “films” of the 1890’s to modern day horror films, the genre has had intermittent popularity. Horror films by definition are unsettling films designed to frighten, induce panic and invoke our darkest fears. Throughout the history of Horror many sub genres have been introduced and have enjoyed sporadic popularity like the genre itself. Sometimes, what determines the sub genres used by film makers are the ones that can best represent the stresses of society at the time e.g. 28 days later represents the threat of laboratory made viruses and the threat of pandemics that were popular news stories during the time. The first “horror film” (film with the conventions we recognise today as belonging to horror), was Le Manoir du diable which was made in 1896. The film was of the supernatural sub-genre however it had pantomime influences and was meant to amuse the audience rather than scare them.
The turn of the century introduced a new sub-genre which set the trend for the next 40 years and that was the monster sub genre. Classic films such as Frankenstein, Nosferatu, Dracula, Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde received wide recognition and popularity.
Due to advances in technology the 1950’s/1960’s saw the tone of horror films shifted from the gothic towards themes that were more relevant to the mid-century audience. A stream of low-budget productions featured humanity overcoming threats from “outside”; alien invasions and deadly mutations to people, plants, insects, most notably in films imported from Japan, whose society had firsthand knowledge of the effects of nuclear radiation. Film makers began to create films that borrowed heavily from science/science fiction e.g. The thing from another world, Invasion of the body snatchers. These films also mirrored and played on the fear and paranoia felt by societies during the cold war. A British production company called Hammer film productions was also popular during this time with their versions of Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy making a horror icon of Christopher Lee in the process.
The 1970’s/1980’s saw a lot of trends/themes introduced and reintroduced into the horror genre. There was a wave of films released with occult themes or films in which the devil was depicted as the ultimate evil/villain (The Exorcist, Alice Sweet Alice, The Omen). The Vietnamese war inspired conscientious horror films; The Hills Have Eyes and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre while Dawn of the dead (George Romero) satirised the consumer society. During this period The “Slasher” sub genre was introduced and quickly popularized through such films as Halloween, Friday the 13th, Black Christmas, and Nightmare on Elm Street. Critically acclaimed films such as Alien, Jaws and Nightmare on Elm Street, Evil Dead (which reportedly cost $250,000) were successful at the box office making millions of dollars in profit.
The 90’s saw a decline in popularity with audiences in general wanting a more cerebral experience offered by fantasy and science fiction films which also showcased the latest in computer generated technology. Towards the mid-to-late 90’s there was a brief rejuvenation with the releases of scream and I know what you did last summer re-igniting the dormant slasher sub-genre.
The early 2000’s, again, was a quiet period for the horror genre with a few notable films; American remakes of The Ring and The Grudge, Final Destination and Jeepers Creepers making a little impact at the box office. Recently we have seen the rise of “gorenography” films such as hostel, saw, and the collector which contain extreme graphic violence and realistic and detailed torture scenes.
Prominent horror directors include Wes Craven (Scream), Sam Raimi (Evil Dead), John Carpenter (Halloween), Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho) and Ridley Scott (Alien).
