Finally, I watched the opening sequence off Trapped from artofthetitle.com
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film? In the opening sequence, a total of 31 titles are shown. It ends with the creator of the movie and the title of the movie. Its duration is one minute
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence? The pictures in the title sequence are close-ups of dead bodies and the lethal wounds that led them to death. It also shows the location of the movie which is in the ocean due to the fact that the movie's setting is on a boat in the middle of nowhere.
What connotations do the images carry? The pictures are shown to tell the viewer how the movie is going to go. It does this by displaying these images that consist of foreshadowing and setting. It uses graphic and action matches to switch between the 2 types of images, in turn, making the titles more exciting.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset? The thriller genre is reinforced here by the suspense within the images. It also alludes to the genre being a thriller by showing a dead body but not the killer leading the viewer to create suspense in the story and make it more exciting.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset? The outset in the film is used to set up a kind of tension or surprise inside the viewer's mind. As well as giving the target audience these interesting images without rationalization. This tactic makes the viewer need more and end up extra invested in the film.
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? What was said previously also applies here. It leaves the viewer with questions that could only be fulfilled in time within the movie. It appeals because the target market would be thriller/mystery fanatics and how they continually want to solve what's happening earlier than the film suggests it. To do this you have to be absolutely attentive towards the movie. This is why the strategy is so effective.
How has technology been used effectively? There were many different technologies used. These consist of low lighting, ominous music, close-ups, establishing shots, action matches, and graphic matches. The low lighting and ominous music add to the mysterious tone of the movie which also helps the thrilling side. It makes use of close-ups when it is displaying the body parts of the dead body. It makes use of establishing shots to expose that the setting is in the ocean. It uses the graphic/action matches to interchange between the establishing shots and close-ups.
Friday, January 31, 2020
Title Research: Skyfall (Thriller)
With the intentions of learning more about the genre we will be filming about I decided to to watch and study another film. The film I have chosen is Skyfall. I chose this film because of its unique filming techniques that really grasp the audience. I'm using www.artofthetitle.com. to help research the film.
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
32 titles were displayed in the opening sequence.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The images displayed in the opening sequence are clips of the main character drowning.
What connotations do the images carry?
These images in the opening sequence connote that maybe the main character has lost his touch and is not as good as he was.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The film shows guns and graves which hints towards death in the film which adds to the thriller in the movie.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The film provides the audience with clips of the main character dying which makes the audience question if it is the last movie.
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
The directors' used strategies that are dark and gloomy to make the audience have a sense of anticipation.
How has technology been used effectively? (camera angles, transitions editing techniques)
The opening scene is made up of clips of the main character. They have a subtle fade editing from clip to clip which adds to the tone.
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
32 titles were displayed in the opening sequence.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The images displayed in the opening sequence are clips of the main character drowning.
What connotations do the images carry?
These images in the opening sequence connote that maybe the main character has lost his touch and is not as good as he was.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The film shows guns and graves which hints towards death in the film which adds to the thriller in the movie.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The film provides the audience with clips of the main character dying which makes the audience question if it is the last movie.
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
The directors' used strategies that are dark and gloomy to make the audience have a sense of anticipation.
How has technology been used effectively? (camera angles, transitions editing techniques)
The opening scene is made up of clips of the main character. They have a subtle fade editing from clip to clip which adds to the tone.
Title Research: Godzilla: Final Wars (Thriller)
To further my genre research, I watched another movie opening from my genre. The movie opening was from the movie “Godzilla: Final Wars”. I watched it on the website www.watchthetitles.com.
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
During the opening sequences of the film 20 titles are displayed.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
Images that are prioritized in the opening sequence is a nuclear blast, Godzilla destroying buildings and things, and Japanese people and police being terrified of this monster.
What connotations do the images carry?
These images connote Godzilla’s metaphorical significance. The first image of a nuclear blast represents how the Japanese are as scared of a large dragon with atomic breath and they are of an atomic bomb.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The genre is reinforced because the outset establishes tones that are found in the thriller genre. By seeing images of people running scared, we know the movie is a thriller filled with suspension and action.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The outset establishes and enigma by using jump cuts and showing partial clips. In the outset we only see people running and screaming. We know it is from Godzilla but it leaves the audience with an enigma of “how did Godzilla escape?” “is Godzilla defeated?”
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
Strategies the film uses to appeal to its target audience is keeping main characters, having the same score/theme song, and franchising. This movie is one of the Godzilla franchise which means that they kept their target audience by franchising and giving the audience the same content just in continued movies.
How has technology been used effectively? (camera angles, transitions editing techniques)
Technology has been used effectively throughout this entire film. It is mostly used through editing. Godzilla doesn’t exist and they edited a big monster which is the antagonist of the film. The editors edit buildings being destroyed and fire coming out of its mouth.
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
During the opening sequences of the film 20 titles are displayed.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
Images that are prioritized in the opening sequence is a nuclear blast, Godzilla destroying buildings and things, and Japanese people and police being terrified of this monster.
What connotations do the images carry?
These images connote Godzilla’s metaphorical significance. The first image of a nuclear blast represents how the Japanese are as scared of a large dragon with atomic breath and they are of an atomic bomb.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The genre is reinforced because the outset establishes tones that are found in the thriller genre. By seeing images of people running scared, we know the movie is a thriller filled with suspension and action.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The outset establishes and enigma by using jump cuts and showing partial clips. In the outset we only see people running and screaming. We know it is from Godzilla but it leaves the audience with an enigma of “how did Godzilla escape?” “is Godzilla defeated?”
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
Strategies the film uses to appeal to its target audience is keeping main characters, having the same score/theme song, and franchising. This movie is one of the Godzilla franchise which means that they kept their target audience by franchising and giving the audience the same content just in continued movies.
How has technology been used effectively? (camera angles, transitions editing techniques)
Technology has been used effectively throughout this entire film. It is mostly used through editing. Godzilla doesn’t exist and they edited a big monster which is the antagonist of the film. The editors edit buildings being destroyed and fire coming out of its mouth.
Title Research: Code 8 (Thriller)
To further my genre research, I watched some movie openings from my genre. I watched the opening of the movie Code 8 from www.artofthetitle.com.
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
32 titles were displayed in the opening sequence.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The images displayed in the opening sequence are clips from news articles and broadcasts.
What connotations do the images carry?
These images in the opening sequence connote wicked and powerful effects of science and technology on society.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The opening of this film shows very alarming media broadcasts this allows the viewer to pick up on the thrilling aspect of the movie. Also, the way the media broadcasts are displayed as glitchy contributes to the suspense of the opening scene.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The film provides the audience with small clips of the main conflict in the movie but cuts to the next clip before the viewer can discover the cause or outcome.
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
The directors' used strategies such as a feeling of suspense and the use of social media to draw in younger audiences.
How has technology been used effectively? (camera angles, transitions editing techniques)
The opening scene is made up of clips so the director used technology to ensure the clips were properly edited together and in a way that would provide a feeling of suspense. In addition, the clips were edited to have a glitch effect which would also help the viewer feel on edge which is the effect the director is going for.
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
32 titles were displayed in the opening sequence.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The images displayed in the opening sequence are clips from news articles and broadcasts.
What connotations do the images carry?
These images in the opening sequence connote wicked and powerful effects of science and technology on society.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The opening of this film shows very alarming media broadcasts this allows the viewer to pick up on the thrilling aspect of the movie. Also, the way the media broadcasts are displayed as glitchy contributes to the suspense of the opening scene.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The film provides the audience with small clips of the main conflict in the movie but cuts to the next clip before the viewer can discover the cause or outcome.
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
The directors' used strategies such as a feeling of suspense and the use of social media to draw in younger audiences.
How has technology been used effectively? (camera angles, transitions editing techniques)
The opening scene is made up of clips so the director used technology to ensure the clips were properly edited together and in a way that would provide a feeling of suspense. In addition, the clips were edited to have a glitch effect which would also help the viewer feel on edge which is the effect the director is going for.
Title Research: artofthetitle.com
In order to understand more about our genre and films in general our teachers assigned us a task. To research the titles used in films of our genre. In order to do this my group and I will be using a website call www.artofthetitle.com. What this website does is takes a movie that you searched and shows you the titles.
The reason our teachers have assigned us to do this is for our benefit. In researching titles we further understand the elements that go into our genre, thriller. My group and I now understands the components needed to a good title transition in a movie. For a typical thriller movie, the titles will happen just before something extremely important. The reason for this is to leave the audience on a cliff hanger so that they stay engaged even though they now have to go through the not so engaging titles.
However, having said that the titles are boring, film producers are constantly trying to make the titles more engaging. They are accomplishing this by having titles that have a meaning to the movie. In many thriller titles the film will show something of significance in the background. Whether that be the main character of the antagonist it keeps the audience guessing and engaged even though titles are going on.
So overall, the title slides are very important because they give credit and also illude to the theme of the film. That is why it is important that we research them and use the tricks the pros use when we film our short movie.
The reason our teachers have assigned us to do this is for our benefit. In researching titles we further understand the elements that go into our genre, thriller. My group and I now understands the components needed to a good title transition in a movie. For a typical thriller movie, the titles will happen just before something extremely important. The reason for this is to leave the audience on a cliff hanger so that they stay engaged even though they now have to go through the not so engaging titles.
However, having said that the titles are boring, film producers are constantly trying to make the titles more engaging. They are accomplishing this by having titles that have a meaning to the movie. In many thriller titles the film will show something of significance in the background. Whether that be the main character of the antagonist it keeps the audience guessing and engaged even though titles are going on.
So overall, the title slides are very important because they give credit and also illude to the theme of the film. That is why it is important that we research them and use the tricks the pros use when we film our short movie.
Title Research: watch the titles.com
To further research movie openings related to our genre, we took the time to look through the webiste, "www.watchthetitles.com." Our teachers told us that this website consists of several movie openings from a variety of genres. They said hat it would give us a great idea of how we want to begin our final project.
Our main goal in researching is to end up resembling one of these famous movies' openings into our final product. If we take the time to assess both the pros and cons of each film's openings, we can definitely find a way to incorporate these movies' best features into our project. This will not only help us perfect our final project, but it will make our movie opening more appealing to those who view it.
After watching a few openings from the thriller genre (our genre), I realized that both title fonts and music help set the mood for the movie depending on what genre its categorized in and what its theme/message is. In fact, because of genre is thriller, we want the components of our opening o resemble the elements of our genre. This includes suspense, tension, and excitement.
Special effects are also important in a movies' opening, especially one associated with the thriller genre. After watching more thriller openings, we realized that effects play a big part in making openings more appealing/attractive. Openings that incorporated more editing seemed to look like they would be better than those who didn't at all or not as much. It would not only help us set the mood for our opening but to attract larger, more diverse audiences.
Overall, this website gave us a general idea of how we should structure our opening and what elements we should focus on. Surprisingly, it also reminded us that the credits are also a major part of properly/professionally ending an
opening/trailer.
Our main goal in researching is to end up resembling one of these famous movies' openings into our final product. If we take the time to assess both the pros and cons of each film's openings, we can definitely find a way to incorporate these movies' best features into our project. This will not only help us perfect our final project, but it will make our movie opening more appealing to those who view it.
After watching a few openings from the thriller genre (our genre), I realized that both title fonts and music help set the mood for the movie depending on what genre its categorized in and what its theme/message is. In fact, because of genre is thriller, we want the components of our opening o resemble the elements of our genre. This includes suspense, tension, and excitement.
Special effects are also important in a movies' opening, especially one associated with the thriller genre. After watching more thriller openings, we realized that effects play a big part in making openings more appealing/attractive. Openings that incorporated more editing seemed to look like they would be better than those who didn't at all or not as much. It would not only help us set the mood for our opening but to attract larger, more diverse audiences.
Overall, this website gave us a general idea of how we should structure our opening and what elements we should focus on. Surprisingly, it also reminded us that the credits are also a major part of properly/professionally ending an
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Genre Research: Split
The next movie I watched was Split. Split is a psychological thriller that is about three teenage girls who get kidnapped by a man with Dissociative Identity Disorder. This means he has 23 different personalities and the viewer is constantly in suspense of who he is and what he is going to do. Some common camera angles are the low angle, high angle, close ups, long shots, and establishing shots. The low angles are used when looking at the kidnapped girls. The high angles are used when looking up at the antagonist named Kevin. This establishes a sense of dominance. The establishing shot isn’t until the end of this movie. When one of the girls is rescued the shot shows her walking out and being surrounded by animals. This establishes that she was being held captive in the maintenance area of a Zoo for the entire movie.
Common camera movements in this film are zoom, fade in, tracking shots, and jump cuts. When the girls are first abducted it fades in into a shot where it shows the room they are being kept in. The tracking shots and zoom are used in action scenes where they are trying to escape. Jump cuts are used throughout the film. The sharp jump cuts add to the suspense of the movie. Common sounds in this movie are non diegetic sound, sound bridge, incidental music, and dialogue. Non diegetic sound is used a lot in this film. It is used when the are kidnapped and they scream for help. A sound bridge is used when one girl finally escapes and the music gets louder and she nears freedom. Incidental music is used for many scenes in the film where the beat and music matches whats happening and increases anticipation and tension.
The Mis en Scene in this film helps make it more enjoyable for the reader and adds to the authenticity. The costumes are regular modern street wear. As the film progresses the customers get dirtier; one example of this is when one girl pees herself. The costumes also change as Kevin changes personalities. The lighting in this film is low when they are in captivity but get brighter when they are saved and outside. The actors are young teenagers who are abducted by one man who plays 23 different personalities. The makeup starts off minimal but towards the end of the movie it turns into special effects makeup as some of the girls are killed. The props include murder weapons like knives that are commonly found in thriller movies. Elements of a thriller movie include suspense, tension, anticipation, surprise, anxiety, terror, drama, and action. I enjoy the drama, suspense, and anticipation of the girls being rescued. I didn’t like the suspense, tension, or action that the movie had throughout.
Common camera movements in this film are zoom, fade in, tracking shots, and jump cuts. When the girls are first abducted it fades in into a shot where it shows the room they are being kept in. The tracking shots and zoom are used in action scenes where they are trying to escape. Jump cuts are used throughout the film. The sharp jump cuts add to the suspense of the movie. Common sounds in this movie are non diegetic sound, sound bridge, incidental music, and dialogue. Non diegetic sound is used a lot in this film. It is used when the are kidnapped and they scream for help. A sound bridge is used when one girl finally escapes and the music gets louder and she nears freedom. Incidental music is used for many scenes in the film where the beat and music matches whats happening and increases anticipation and tension.
The Mis en Scene in this film helps make it more enjoyable for the reader and adds to the authenticity. The costumes are regular modern street wear. As the film progresses the customers get dirtier; one example of this is when one girl pees herself. The costumes also change as Kevin changes personalities. The lighting in this film is low when they are in captivity but get brighter when they are saved and outside. The actors are young teenagers who are abducted by one man who plays 23 different personalities. The makeup starts off minimal but towards the end of the movie it turns into special effects makeup as some of the girls are killed. The props include murder weapons like knives that are commonly found in thriller movies. Elements of a thriller movie include suspense, tension, anticipation, surprise, anxiety, terror, drama, and action. I enjoy the drama, suspense, and anticipation of the girls being rescued. I didn’t like the suspense, tension, or action that the movie had throughout.
Final Task Genre
We finally narrowed down our choices to one genre for our film; we chose the thriller genre. We chose this genre for many different reasons. One of them being we think our audience will like it more. When looking at audience sizes from different genres thriller has the biggest. Genres like horror might be much for certain viewers. Genres like animated have younger audiences. The thriller genre however, engages audiences from all ages and keeps the film suspenseful and action filled.
Genre Research: Get Out
The second movie that I chose to study is "Get Out". I Chose get out because of its unique aspect on a thriller. To further inspect how it uses the thriller genre I decided to research the movie using CLAMPS. CLAMPS stands for camera angles, lighting, actors, makeup, props, and setting.
Camera angles- In "Get Out", there are a variety of types of camera angles. However, the most commonly used camera angles are a lot of close up shots. The reason for these close up shots is to limit the audiences perspective. This leaves more unknown areas making the movie more scary.
Lighting- The lighting in this film was bright. But it was bight with a strong dark contrast. That makes the movie more eerie. Which in turn makes the movie more like a thriller because the audience gets the sense that something is not right.
Actors- The actors in "Get Out" were majority white except for the main character who was black. The difference in skin color gives an intruding feeling. That feeling again hints to something being off in the film. Which further adds to the scare factor.
Makeup- The makeup is not that noticeable in the movie. Leading me to believe that they didn't use any that is out of the ordinary. That makes unorthodox compared to a typical horror film which normally uses a lot of makeup.
Props- The props in this film are everyday house hold items. Which allows the movie to hit close to home. Making it even more scary. The costumes in "Get Out" are average white clothing. This helps power one of the underlining themes of racism because the main character who is black seems out of place.
Setting- The setting in this movie is in an average white suburban neighborhood. This also gives an intruding feeling being that the main character is black.
Lighting- The lighting in this film was bright. But it was bight with a strong dark contrast. That makes the movie more eerie. Which in turn makes the movie more like a thriller because the audience gets the sense that something is not right.
Actors- The actors in "Get Out" were majority white except for the main character who was black. The difference in skin color gives an intruding feeling. That feeling again hints to something being off in the film. Which further adds to the scare factor.
Makeup- The makeup is not that noticeable in the movie. Leading me to believe that they didn't use any that is out of the ordinary. That makes unorthodox compared to a typical horror film which normally uses a lot of makeup.
Props- The props in this film are everyday house hold items. Which allows the movie to hit close to home. Making it even more scary. The costumes in "Get Out" are average white clothing. This helps power one of the underlining themes of racism because the main character who is black seems out of place.
Setting- The setting in this movie is in an average white suburban neighborhood. This also gives an intruding feeling being that the main character is black.
Genre Research: Bird Box
To get a more in-depth understanding of the genre of my film, I decided to watch some movies that fall under this genre. The first movie is Bird Box.
Throughout the film, the director used a variety of camera angles most common were a high angle, close up and long shot. As far as camera movement the film included an abundance of pans, tracking shots and zooms. The mis en scene in this movie is what really ties it all together.
Costumes - The costumes of this movie start off as normal everyday clothes, however as time goes on in the “post apocalyptic” world their clothing becomes tattered, worn and dirty.
Lighting - The lighting of this film was mostly dim throughout the film, this is partially due to the fact that the plot of the film is not being able to see. However, the dim lighting adds to the eerie feeling the viewer gets throughout the movie.
Actors - The actors were in my opinion the most important part of this movie, because we never directly saw the monster of this movie we had to rely on the emotion displayed by the actors so get a sense of the affect this monster had on people. The feeling the viewer gets from this movie would not be the same if the actors could not portray this emotion efficiently.
Makeup - Similar to the costumes the makeup is very basic and natural, however as the movie goes on and the characters obtain wounds and are deprived of showers the makeup changes from everyday to dirty and special effect wound makeup.
Props - The most recognizable prop from this film is the blindfolds used by the characters to protect them from the monster. In addition to blindfolds the characters utilize basic survival props while occasionally yielding weapons.
Setting - The setting of the movie changed throughout however the characters were always in a dimly lit sheltered areas whether is was the house in the beginning or the shed in the woods towards the end.
The sound of this movie was very similar to what you would find in a horror movie. For example indistinct whispers and eerie music. Additionally, the dialogue is limited and when they do speak it is low to avoid exposure. What I liked about the film is how well the actors could portray the fear and the effect of the monster, without this component I do not think this movie would have been so successful in impacting my emotions. What I disliked about this film is the “incomplete” story line, while I know this is not directly connected to the way the movie was filmed it was something I found unfulfilling. Although the idea of the movie was intriguing the plot holes (for example the outcome of all the other characters) left me unsatisfied. Overall, this movie gave me a good idea of what to expect in this genre.
Throughout the film, the director used a variety of camera angles most common were a high angle, close up and long shot. As far as camera movement the film included an abundance of pans, tracking shots and zooms. The mis en scene in this movie is what really ties it all together.
Costumes - The costumes of this movie start off as normal everyday clothes, however as time goes on in the “post apocalyptic” world their clothing becomes tattered, worn and dirty.
Lighting - The lighting of this film was mostly dim throughout the film, this is partially due to the fact that the plot of the film is not being able to see. However, the dim lighting adds to the eerie feeling the viewer gets throughout the movie.
Actors - The actors were in my opinion the most important part of this movie, because we never directly saw the monster of this movie we had to rely on the emotion displayed by the actors so get a sense of the affect this monster had on people. The feeling the viewer gets from this movie would not be the same if the actors could not portray this emotion efficiently.
Makeup - Similar to the costumes the makeup is very basic and natural, however as the movie goes on and the characters obtain wounds and are deprived of showers the makeup changes from everyday to dirty and special effect wound makeup.
Props - The most recognizable prop from this film is the blindfolds used by the characters to protect them from the monster. In addition to blindfolds the characters utilize basic survival props while occasionally yielding weapons.
Setting - The setting of the movie changed throughout however the characters were always in a dimly lit sheltered areas whether is was the house in the beginning or the shed in the woods towards the end.
The sound of this movie was very similar to what you would find in a horror movie. For example indistinct whispers and eerie music. Additionally, the dialogue is limited and when they do speak it is low to avoid exposure. What I liked about the film is how well the actors could portray the fear and the effect of the monster, without this component I do not think this movie would have been so successful in impacting my emotions. What I disliked about this film is the “incomplete” story line, while I know this is not directly connected to the way the movie was filmed it was something I found unfulfilling. Although the idea of the movie was intriguing the plot holes (for example the outcome of all the other characters) left me unsatisfied. Overall, this movie gave me a good idea of what to expect in this genre.
Genre Research: Thriller and Horror
Thrillers are a common used genre in the modern filming industry. That is because of the suspense that they generate grasping the audiences attention. So, this blog will be about what common editing techniques and mis en sene is used to generate a good thriller. First off, thrillers are usually long clips and don’t have many cuts in them. The purpose of that is to captivate the audience’s attention and draw suspense. A prime example of this would be the new thriller “1917”. In this movie there is only one jump cut used. The purpose of this is to bring the audience into the main characters point of view making all of the horrors and heroics that happen in the movie seem more understandable and real-life. Thriller films also have specific mis en sene. In thrillers, most of the props and costumes worn are every day materials. The purpose of that is to make the movie seem more real life. So by using everyday clothing and props the thriller genre becomes more interesting because the audience can relate to the main character. So, that is overall what makes a thriller a good movie Because horror films are very popular amongst our age group, we decided to research this genre first. In literature, horror is one of the many fictitious genres whose purpose is to create feelings of fear, dread, repulsion, and terror in the audience. Horror feeds on the audience’s deepest terrors by putting life’s most frightening and perplexing things (death, evil, supernatural powers or creatures, the afterlife, witchcraft) at the center of attention.
To go further, there are five key elements in the horror genre. The first is foreshadowing. It is what build up anticipation for the viewer. The second is fear. There is nothing more to say other than it is the driving force behind the story/ purpose of the film. The third is suspense. It builds upon the fear elements with the constant unknowingness of what is going to happen. The fourth is mystery. This is important because it leaves the viewer thinking about what they just saw. The last, but not least important element is imagination. This intensifies the terror associated in horror films by making the audience used their heads.
To be completely honest, I don’t have a problem with horror movies. The “scary” aspect doesn’t really affect me at all. However, sometimes horror films are a little much. The unrealistically of some horror movies makes them less enjoyable to watch, for me at least. Here are some camera angles, movements, and shots that are typically used in the making of horror films:
High angle: these kinds of shots are used in horror movies to make the figure or object that is being looked down upon seem completely powerless or vulnerable.
Close ups in horror films are mainly used to reveal certain characters emotions in important scenes.
Tracking shot/ pan: used very effectively in horror films to establish a scenario where a character that is being followed or watched.
Titled Angle/ Candid/ Dutch: add dramatic tension to shots as well as signify the presence of a supernatural being.
Long Shots: used in many horror films, typically to establish the movie’s setting (where everything “scary” is going to happen).
Low angle: effective in horror films because they emphasize how intimidating or scary a villain is.
Zoom: adds dramatic effect to horror films by intensifying the genre’s elements of fear and suspense. This is because you don’t know what u might see next.
Here is mis-en-scene that is usually associated with the horror genre:
Costumes: The costumes associated with a horror film determine it’s style. The also help to identify the antagonist of the movie.
Lighting: The lighting in horror movies is usually dark and atmospheric. This is used to create an effective setting and surrounding for a common jumping scare. d
Actors: Just like costumes, the actors in horror films helps the audience remember the name of movie by the face of that specific character.
Make-Up: In some cases, the make-up of horror characters help to make them look more scary/intimidating.
Props: These can range in horror films, based on its style. Common props are weapons (like knives, machetes, etc) and spiritual artifacts.
Setting: The setting of a horror film is usually made to be isolated to make for its tense, fearful, and suspenseful atmosphere.
Common editing found in horror films:
Cutaway: shows character’s reactions to the situations they are facing.
Jump cut: allowing the passage of time to show whilst also sometimes using it to scare the audience.
Fade to black: gives off a mysterious and intense feeling.
Elliptical editing: cuts out the unnecessary parts of journeys or actions to keep the audience gripped and on the edge of their seats.
Common sound found in horror films:
Sound effects are used to build tension. Common sound effects used in horror films are footsteps, doors and floorboards creaking, and wind.
Loud, slow building music can help to keep the audience on their seats.
Loud fast music can help to scare the audience.
Lack of sound/ music can help to create an uneasy feeling amongst the audience.
To go further, there are five key elements in the horror genre. The first is foreshadowing. It is what build up anticipation for the viewer. The second is fear. There is nothing more to say other than it is the driving force behind the story/ purpose of the film. The third is suspense. It builds upon the fear elements with the constant unknowingness of what is going to happen. The fourth is mystery. This is important because it leaves the viewer thinking about what they just saw. The last, but not least important element is imagination. This intensifies the terror associated in horror films by making the audience used their heads.
To be completely honest, I don’t have a problem with horror movies. The “scary” aspect doesn’t really affect me at all. However, sometimes horror films are a little much. The unrealistically of some horror movies makes them less enjoyable to watch, for me at least. Here are some camera angles, movements, and shots that are typically used in the making of horror films:
High angle: these kinds of shots are used in horror movies to make the figure or object that is being looked down upon seem completely powerless or vulnerable.
Close ups in horror films are mainly used to reveal certain characters emotions in important scenes.
Tracking shot/ pan: used very effectively in horror films to establish a scenario where a character that is being followed or watched.
Titled Angle/ Candid/ Dutch: add dramatic tension to shots as well as signify the presence of a supernatural being.
Long Shots: used in many horror films, typically to establish the movie’s setting (where everything “scary” is going to happen).
Low angle: effective in horror films because they emphasize how intimidating or scary a villain is.
Zoom: adds dramatic effect to horror films by intensifying the genre’s elements of fear and suspense. This is because you don’t know what u might see next.
Here is mis-en-scene that is usually associated with the horror genre:
Costumes: The costumes associated with a horror film determine it’s style. The also help to identify the antagonist of the movie.
Lighting: The lighting in horror movies is usually dark and atmospheric. This is used to create an effective setting and surrounding for a common jumping scare. d
Actors: Just like costumes, the actors in horror films helps the audience remember the name of movie by the face of that specific character.
Make-Up: In some cases, the make-up of horror characters help to make them look more scary/intimidating.
Props: These can range in horror films, based on its style. Common props are weapons (like knives, machetes, etc) and spiritual artifacts.
Setting: The setting of a horror film is usually made to be isolated to make for its tense, fearful, and suspenseful atmosphere.
Common editing found in horror films:
Cutaway: shows character’s reactions to the situations they are facing.
Jump cut: allowing the passage of time to show whilst also sometimes using it to scare the audience.
Fade to black: gives off a mysterious and intense feeling.
Elliptical editing: cuts out the unnecessary parts of journeys or actions to keep the audience gripped and on the edge of their seats.
Common sound found in horror films:
Sound effects are used to build tension. Common sound effects used in horror films are footsteps, doors and floorboards creaking, and wind.
Loud, slow building music can help to keep the audience on their seats.
Loud fast music can help to scare the audience.
Lack of sound/ music can help to create an uneasy feeling amongst the audience.
Genre Research: Taken 2
Finally I watched Taken 2. Here are some common camera angles, movements, and shots found in this movie:
High Angles: Used mostly to establish chasing scenes in this movie with a wider, more full view.
Dutch/ Candid: Used to add suspense to some important, intense scenes.
Tracking Shot/ Pan: Mostly used in chasing scenes as well. Also used, however, to establish the main idea of the movie (that he is looking for his ex-wife).
Zoom: Adds suspense to the film. Mostly used on the main character, Bryan Mills, to emphasize/ intensify the idea that he is serious and will do anything he can to find his ex-wife.
Close up: Mostly used on the main character to intensify the suspense of the film.
Here is common mis-en-scene associated with this film:
Costumes: In this film, there were no differences in clothing between the antagonist and protagonist. Both character groups wore suits.
Lighting: Used mostly ambient light to capture the idea that the main character of the movie was traveling around the world trying to find his ex-wife.
Actor: The main character/actor in this film was Liam Neeson who plays Bryan Mills. He is known because of his skill set and intelligence.
Make-Up: Mainly used in fighting scenes. Injuries, scars, bullet wounds, etc.
Props: Most props revolved around violence as there were many knives, guns, other weapons present in the movie.
Setting: The setting of Taken 2 was Istanbul, Turkey. The antagonist group was from there and his ex-wife had happened to be vacationing there when she was kidnapped.
Common editing found in Taken 2:
The editing found in this movie ranged depending on the situation at hand. However, general editing transitions used in this film can be described as fast, random, and rapid. This is mainly to maintain the suspense associated in the thriller genre. One editing technique that was used a lot were jump cuts. This was mainly to build upon the suspense of the movie with the constant change of direction/ plan of the main character. Flashbacks were also used a lot, but not for the same reason. Because his ex-wife was taken, another theme of the movie revolved around their lost relationships. Flashbacks were implemented to show the audience that he loves and misses her.
Common sound found in Taken 2:
Loud, intense, and upbeat music was mainly used throughout this movie to build upon its suspense and keep the audience on their toes. It was probably the driving force of the film. However, some other sounds were implemented. For example, lots of dialogue was used to establish the movie’s situarion/ the idea that his ex-wife was kidnapped and that he would do anything to find her. Diegetic sounds were even used to portray the idea that kidnappings happen in real life all the time.
Elements of the Movie in Comparison to the Elements of the Thriller Genre:
Taken 2 is definitely categorized under the thriller genre because of the suspense associated with the movie. The audience is overwhelmed by the idea that Bryan Mills may not find his ex-wife or will die in the process. Taken 2 is also told from the point of view of the protagonist which is typical in most thrillers. It is also clear that the antagonist in this film (which is the Turkish group) has a plan/scheme. This is common in most thrillers and also helps build the theme/ purpose of the movie.
To wrap up this blog, I am going to talk about the elements of this movie that I liked and disliked. To start, I liked how the storyline revolved around a man trying to find his kidnapped ex-wife. I feel like it made his journey more personal and subsequently connected the audience to film more. To be real, I don’t think I disliked anything about this film. I genuinely thought it was good. However, if I had to criticize something it would have to be about the antagonist group. I feel like the movie company could have kept the audience engaged more by making the antagonist group originate from a different country/ethnicity. This is because subtitles sometimes distract audiences. Some people don’t even read them.
High Angles: Used mostly to establish chasing scenes in this movie with a wider, more full view.
Dutch/ Candid: Used to add suspense to some important, intense scenes.
Tracking Shot/ Pan: Mostly used in chasing scenes as well. Also used, however, to establish the main idea of the movie (that he is looking for his ex-wife).
Zoom: Adds suspense to the film. Mostly used on the main character, Bryan Mills, to emphasize/ intensify the idea that he is serious and will do anything he can to find his ex-wife.
Close up: Mostly used on the main character to intensify the suspense of the film.
Here is common mis-en-scene associated with this film:
Costumes: In this film, there were no differences in clothing between the antagonist and protagonist. Both character groups wore suits.
Lighting: Used mostly ambient light to capture the idea that the main character of the movie was traveling around the world trying to find his ex-wife.
Actor: The main character/actor in this film was Liam Neeson who plays Bryan Mills. He is known because of his skill set and intelligence.
Make-Up: Mainly used in fighting scenes. Injuries, scars, bullet wounds, etc.
Props: Most props revolved around violence as there were many knives, guns, other weapons present in the movie.
Setting: The setting of Taken 2 was Istanbul, Turkey. The antagonist group was from there and his ex-wife had happened to be vacationing there when she was kidnapped.
Common editing found in Taken 2:
The editing found in this movie ranged depending on the situation at hand. However, general editing transitions used in this film can be described as fast, random, and rapid. This is mainly to maintain the suspense associated in the thriller genre. One editing technique that was used a lot were jump cuts. This was mainly to build upon the suspense of the movie with the constant change of direction/ plan of the main character. Flashbacks were also used a lot, but not for the same reason. Because his ex-wife was taken, another theme of the movie revolved around their lost relationships. Flashbacks were implemented to show the audience that he loves and misses her.
Common sound found in Taken 2:
Loud, intense, and upbeat music was mainly used throughout this movie to build upon its suspense and keep the audience on their toes. It was probably the driving force of the film. However, some other sounds were implemented. For example, lots of dialogue was used to establish the movie’s situarion/ the idea that his ex-wife was kidnapped and that he would do anything to find her. Diegetic sounds were even used to portray the idea that kidnappings happen in real life all the time.
Elements of the Movie in Comparison to the Elements of the Thriller Genre:
Taken 2 is definitely categorized under the thriller genre because of the suspense associated with the movie. The audience is overwhelmed by the idea that Bryan Mills may not find his ex-wife or will die in the process. Taken 2 is also told from the point of view of the protagonist which is typical in most thrillers. It is also clear that the antagonist in this film (which is the Turkish group) has a plan/scheme. This is common in most thrillers and also helps build the theme/ purpose of the movie.
To wrap up this blog, I am going to talk about the elements of this movie that I liked and disliked. To start, I liked how the storyline revolved around a man trying to find his kidnapped ex-wife. I feel like it made his journey more personal and subsequently connected the audience to film more. To be real, I don’t think I disliked anything about this film. I genuinely thought it was good. However, if I had to criticize something it would have to be about the antagonist group. I feel like the movie company could have kept the audience engaged more by making the antagonist group originate from a different country/ethnicity. This is because subtitles sometimes distract audiences. Some people don’t even read them.
Friday, January 24, 2020
Genre Research: Action Genre
This was a project we created in the first quarter to expose of to the different genres. The genre we were assigned was action. We researched the elements that make up this genre. For example the common lighting, sounds, camera angles, etc. We did this by exploring a variety of movies labeled under the action genre and found what they all had in common. The importance of this project was to be able to more clearly identify different genres and how we can create a film that fits into it. I found this project beneficial because before this class I had no idea all the components that are needed to create a movie and how different elements can create a different feeling or mood.
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