In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenege forms and conventions of real media products?

 

Evaluation

After going though our final piece we have selected nine distinct yet differential  frames which  will  be compared to our objectives from the start of the filming process. Our aim was to create a realistic opening to a horror film initially but this subverted as we transformed into a more hybrid genre , entailing elements of a physiological thriller/ horror as well as fantasy elements through the use of surrealistic framed shots especially visible in terms of Zoe's characterisation.
Frame 1.

This blank shot has  entailed the usage of an inversion of  black and white ( white writing on a black background)  which provides the method of catching the readers eye as it subverts traditional discourse of this type of graphology.

A film which conforms to font discourse convention

This was especially effective when coupled with  fading the text on and off the screen. The font and stylistic conventions were specifically chosen using standardisation  by making it very easy to read, but possibly could be changed to fit in a bit more with the Mise-on-scene as well as appearing more professional  and aesthetic.This could be enabled by spending a measurable amount of time duration testing out differential styles of writing.This opening clearly to us coveys the speech associated with Horror elements and provides an intriguing start to the film as well as already introducing the emotive tension.It also allows the audience to immediately engage with the film and to allow individual perception as to what is happening.

Frame2.

The consequential effect of titles in the film where achieved by alternating which side they were placed on , ensuring that it switched from each slide that it was on, whilst making sure that it wouldn't distract the reader from the footage which was on screen so we had to choose in appropriation in regards to the size. 

As well as size appropriation the location of this shot was chosen carefully to convey the ambiguity and surrealism of Hannah's character clearly showing the audience this conceptualisation.Filmed in Charley's dining room, we created the scene by ensuring that we shut the curtains as well as dimming the lights to display the theme of mystery within this frame. The props used enabled the inclusion of an easel and a pencil as Hannah "The Creator" is sketching a premonition  of what is about to happen in the future. Camera work had the usage of a  Zoom in  that had transcended from an Over-the-shoulder shot before concluding with a close up. This was both on the page and the lexis "Its coming.." We found that despite the implied simplicity of the shot the actuality of holding the camera steady proved very difficult ( though this could be due to being one of the first shots we had ever compiled). The darkness of the lighting is also extremely effective as it clearly suggests to the audience that  not all is quite right in this seemlessly innocent setting. Hannah's character is introduced in a traditional introduction which is reserved for the villains- a frame which entails obscurity as she is wearing all black clothing as well as being hidden by her hair, which clearly blended in, by camouflaging her within the background. For the writing upon the easel i think we should entail a voice recording of someone scratching hard on a piece of paper, so that it appears to the audience that Hannah ( The creator) is stemming her frustration onto paper, allowing the pencil to communicate to the audience what is about to happen.

Frame 3.

This particular shot entails the usage of the Rule of thirds ( as did the previous shot) which really helps to allow the audience to focus on the most significant areas of the frame. Again this was shot in the location of Charley's house but this time in her bedroom, to represent that I am asleep without any pragmatical assumptions having to take place.We also show clearly that I'm dreaming through the use of facial expressions which represent my feelings of animosity as to what is happening , as well as my movements which are jerky as though I am experiencing a nightmare. One of the key mise-en scene elements was the lighting as we had to have an accurate reproduction of someone being asleep, though one of the problems was maintaining how dark the lighting should be .To resolve this we entailed the usage of dimming the lights to appropriate  the atmosphere and to set the tone of the scene. Towards the end of this clip we incoperated a fade in of our music soundtrack titled ' The haunted Music box'  to show that the dream sequence is about to happen and because the music is quite eerie, it makes the audience wonder as to what is about to occur.

As an additional note the font/ written lexis/size/position of the text has been changed since we screenshot these particular sides so we shall upload these at a later date.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OwwiRSy6os&feature=player_detailpage


Frame 4.

The setting for this frame has been specifically tailored to express the seclusion and barbarity of the dream sequence through the use of the uncut wild grass which suggests that the dream is disorderly as well as giving the feeling of being untamed. Predominantly the focal point of the frame is essentially my character, shown through the use of the centered high angle shot but we feel that the environmental features add extra emphasis.This shot has been edited to black and white to clearly express both horror stylistic conventions as well as contrasting against the latter shots, which we feel is really effective. Another important aspect is the use of costume which are fully grey pyjamas, bare feet (to tie in with the setting) and curly dishevelled hair to express that I have been asleep. I also think that the positioning of the character is clearly identifiable with a victim who is helpless and inferior through the hunched postion, legs clenched as well as the obscurity of my face. For me i believe this is a traditional representation of victims and we are therfore following traditional conventions of a horror with our own little twist. 

A frame from the Blair Witch project
similuar to my frame

Frame 5.

The location for this frame is the same as the latter before it to diplay continuity editing as well as elements of Mise-on-scene. Within this shot i feel that the Props in this Frame are the most influential as they provide a sense of ambiguity as well as the positioning of the camera behind her.Zoe is wearing  a homemade cape of raw yellow/ green fabric interspersed with holes and ragged edges to signify her animalistic characterisation. However this creation of costume was done before we decided to entail the usage of black and white so that it would blend in with the background and becoming more in-conspicuous.

The Rule of thirds is not used once again to draw your attention to the scenery as effecively we are providing specific emphasis on the rural nature of the environement. Our representation of Zoe is a subvertation against traditionally tailored horror roles as we felt that we wanted to enforce the hybrid genre, due to it being something which is rarely attempted. The postioning of  Zoe is done to provide ambigity and surrealism as her back is facing the audience, as well as being hunched over, as though she is ready to pounce and again is enforcing her animal-like personilisation.

Frame 6.

I really like this shot as the framing is excellent and for the first time displays her true identity , capturing the intensity of her gaze tinted with arrogance which may suggest that she has found my hiding place.As you can determine form this shot the postioning is again hunched over grappling in the grass, perhaps signifying to the audience that she is searching for something.Once again this frame is set in the long grass, which has  proved a very useful tool as well as enabling the provision of giving us a large frequency of usable shots. In terms of costume the cape was used once again with the hood up for Mise-on-scene, bu the fact that her face is n longer hidden expresses that she is revealing her true form to me to evoke fear. Because Zoe was so low on the ground our orginal midshot can probably be considered as a form of her closeup due to the specific angling of the camera. The frame uses Rule of thirds to focus onto character reactions as is evidential by this shot and can perhaps be classed as fantasy genre at this particular point as she does not look like a tradtional villan and the cape perhaps gives a sense of the supernatural.

Frame 7.

Setting for this frame is made to look as if i have traveled for some distance as it is a different location to the latter frames- clearly shown by the sparsity of the grass as well as the twigs. The costume uses rugged old hiking boots, with a possible inclination that there is animals fur on the top of them, which could suggest that it is not set inh modern society. Before this shot the camera takes the foot steps from a low angle  to clearly represent the dominance of the power that she holds over me. This was especially hard even when using a tripod, to make the shot seem smooth as when turned the tripod often squeaked.The frame was enabled to  stop just as Zoe's foot smashes down onto the branches to show that nothing can stand in the way of this monster. 

Frame 8.

This shot has been captured from a low angle, to demonstrate the dominance of Zoe's character and how the power increases as the film goes on. The frame has been stopped abruptly just as Zoe grabs for the camera,to display her animalistic nature as she pounces on her prey . The natural lighting of the scene proved  extremely effective when transferred to black and white, as it makes the background seem as though  it is glowing, contrasting against the sinster framing/mise-en-scene of Zoe. The camera also entails the  useage of a  mid-shot to show both  the actions surrounding the character as well as the emotional facial expressions . This also sets the last scene up as well as I turn and see before running away in sheer family terror. For me the focal point of the frame is positioning of the hand which seems almost clawed and very barbaric. It also reinforces her desire for catching her prey- me.

Another similua frame with this horror character
seemingly norml asides from being in the tree

Frame 9.

This frame is taken from one of the final scenes of the film, as my character desperately  and futilly tries to escape from Zoe as she runs in heavy pursuit.Costume in terms of  Mise-on-scene  elements is the same as previous : the same PJ's, flowing curly  hair and little makeup merely used to accentuate the intensity of my gaze, extremely apparent within this shot as well as evidenced through the use of positioning. This frame shows off the location well, showing is rugged appearance. I am off center to make the shot  appear more intriguing as well as essentially highlighting the isolation and seclusion which i am in. This is further reinforced by the gathering of trees.This transcends well from the previous frames as it looks like she is looking back towards Zoe which also correlates with the next frame of Zoe's feet, making it seem as though she is coming towards me. The mid-shot suits the horror conventions very well as it conveys action and facial expressions in a manner whcih expresses the sigificacance. Fade effects have been used as transitions between the dream sequence to differentiate from the other secenes as well as maintaining fluidity , making it seem more dreamlike. The music slowly begins to fade out here, as well as the contrast darkening to show that it is near the end of the film.