Analysis of the effectiveness of our run through

In order to create our run through for our opening sequence, we used our mobile phones to film the scenes within the sequence. We edited these scenes together using iMovie which is a very straight forward movie making software as it allowed us to combine all our different scenes together to create one video. The run through of our opening sequence was effective as by using a minimal number of props we were able to imagine what our opening sequence would look like and if we needed to make any changes. The limited time and resources that were available to us whilst filming our run through meant that we had to improvise, which made it more of a challenge. After filming our run through we learnt how important the use of props and equipment are in creating a professional and realistic opening sequence. 

From analysing our run through, as a group we believe that we need to improve the quality of our script in order to engage with our target audience. We will also need to include sound effects to increase the suspense and to add to the tension in our opening sequence. Furthermore, after filming our run through we discovered that it was less than 2 minutes long, therefore we will need to make our opening sequence longer by adding any additional scenes. 

Our run through

The Psychology of Horror

A common question asked upon the young generation is: "What do you like about horror films, what makes you so intrigued by them?" In order to find out the answer to this specific question, my group and I looked into different psychologists, reading through their professional facts and knowledge based ideas. According to a 2004 paper in the 'Journal of Media Psychology' by Dr. Glenn Walters, the three primary factors that make horror films alluring are: tension (generated by suspense, mystery, terror, shock, and gore), relevance (that may relate to personal relevance, cultural meaningfulness, the fear of death, etc.), and (somewhat paradoxically given the second factor) unrealism. Dr. Johnston reported that: “The four viewing motivations are found to be related to viewers’ cognitive and affective responses to horror films, as well as viewers’ tendency to identify with either the killers or victims in these films." More specifically she reported gruesome watchers typically had low empathy, high sensation seeking, and (among males only) a strong identification with the killer. Secondly, thrill watchers typically had both high empathy and sensation seeking, identified themselves more with the victims, and liked the suspense of the film. Furthermore, independent watchers typically had a high empathy for the victim along with a high positive effect for overcoming fear, and lastly, problem watchers typically had high empathy for the victim but were characterised by negative effect (particularly a sense of helplessness).

Dr Jeffrey Goldstein added on to say a well known quote within the psychology genre:

"People go to horror films because they want to be frightened or they wouldn't do it twice. You choose your entertainment because you want it to affect you. That's certainly true of people who go to entertainment products like horror films that have big effects. They want those effects…[Horror films must] provide a just resolution in the end. The bad guy gets it. Even though they choose to watch these things, the images are still disturbing for many people. But people have the ability to pay attention as much or as little as they care to in order to control what effect it has on them, emotionally and otherwise."

How the average human brain reacts to horror films:

Make Up

Setting up equipment

Evaluation of script

The script for our opening sequence doesn't really contain much long conversation or any other dialogue, apart from Sophia shouting and screaming and her father on the phone to the police. The mysterious non-diegetic music towards the end increases the pace as tension builds up as it is only  played when the kidnapper is present. This music is pre-recorded allowing it to be heard clearly and to work more conveniently. Throughout our opening sequence, this short script will be the only dialogue involved. We think the less speaking we have in the opening minutes will make it more anticipating and therefore more exciting for our audience, ensuring that suspense is built up throughout. This portrays the characters as more anxious, making the audience eager to carry on watching and keeping them on the edge of their seats. Due to the main reason our script doesn't contain much dialogue, there is not much to say within essence of visualising the characters feelings and emotions. However, it does help to portray the victims emotions as feeling extremely panicked and traumatised. This is shown from the expression of the *screaming and yelling loudly* of Sophia's fear and distress, highlighting her feelings of terror. In addition to this, her fathers emotions seem very overwhelmed by the tragic news that he has just heard about his daughter. This is clearly shown when he says "I'd appreciate if you update me as soon as you know more", evidently emphasising how he is anxious and on edge about what has happened. Moreover, the non diegetic background music helps in order to foreshadow later events that will be partaking throughout the rest of our opening sequence. This is because the mood goes from joyful and optimistic to fearful and frightening, thus creating tension in our opening sequence which is what we want for our audience in order to make them feel more alerted, therefore making them want to keep watching. 

Potential names for characters and title

Potential character names:

Our opening sequence features three characters who play a major role in the plot of the film. Above are the potential names for our characters who will be cast in our opening sequence. We decided to go for the name Sophia as the Victim, Paul as the kidnapper, and David as the father. This is because we think these names are modern, up-to-date and also suit the genre of our film. We felt that the name Sophia suggests innocence and purity which is symbolic of the victim in our opening sequence. The name also fits the image of the stereotypical teenage girl that we are aiming for. The father is a standard father, who is protective over his daughter and overwhelmed by what has happened. As a group we decided that the name David suggests this and is a typical name for a father in the modern day. The kidnapper's name 'Paul' is a regular name which we chose for the kidnapper. This was selected randomly because usually there is no particular name that might specifically suggest the role of a kidnapper.

Potential title names:

After assessing all the title options presented above, we decided that our thriller would be called 'The Captive'. We chose this title because it best suited the concept of our film. The girl who was kidnapped is taken randomly from the streets after being watched over multiple days by the kidnapper. The victim was essentially 'captured' from a well suited and close dynamic neighbourhood, thus the name 'The Captive'. My group and I feel that the name 'The Captive' illustrates suspicion and projects a mysterious feel. We all agreed on this name for the simple reason that we like the unknown vibe that it presents.

Age Rating

We chose to classify our film as a 15 age rating. This is because when we looked at the BBFC (British board of film classification) guidelines on their website and discovered that any film that includes moderate scenes of violence or threat would be rated 15 and above. This applies to our film as it contains a few scenes of violence. However, it does not contain strong language nor does it contain any sexual scenes that would deem the film to be inappropriate. 

The First and Final Girl

Our Actors

Analysis of BBFC and Film Classification

What is our age rating?

15

What does this mean?

This means that no one younger than 15 may see this film in a cinema. No one younger than 15 may rent or buy a 15 rated video.

What sort of language may be used?
There may be strong language. Very strong language may be permitted, depending on the manner in which it is used, who is using the language, its frequency within the work as a whole and any special contextual justification.

Will there be threatening behaviour?
There may be strong threat and horror. A sustained focus on sadistic or sexual threat is unlikely to be acceptable.

Will there be extreme violence?
Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but the depiction of sexual violence must be discreet and justified by context.

Will it contain sexual nature?
Sexual activity may be portrayed, but usually without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context. 

Will it contain nudity?
There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context. There may be nudity in a sexual context but usually without strong detail.

Will it contain imitable behaviour?
Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Whether the depiction of easily accessible weapons is acceptable will depend on factors such as realism, context and setting.

Will it contain drugs?
Drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances is unlikely to be acceptable.

How can I find out more about a specific 15 film?
To find out more about 15 rated films I could check the BBFC insight for the film or video that I wish to watch. BBFC insight is available on their website, on their free app, as well as on film posters, DVD and Blu-ray packaging, and on some listings. It provides information on exactly why a film or video has been given a particular rating. All the issues are discussed in detail and parents in particular can use this information to make informed decisions when choosing viewing material for their children.

Our script for our opening sequence

The Captive

Introducing the characters; Sophia, an innocent stereotypical teenage girl who is on her way home at the time when she is kidnapped by Paul, a middle aged man who preys on teenage girls. David, Sophia's father, is concerned about his daughter's disappearance and is in contact with the police as the search for his missing daughter continues. 

Scene 1: The Street

(Enter Sophia)

*Non diegetic joyful music as Sophia crosses the road*

(Enter Kidnapper in his car)

*Non diegetic music as Kidnapper follows Sophia home*

*Diegetic, synchronous sound of the engine being turned on*

*Non diegetic music playing as Sophia listens to music through her earphones*

*Kidnapper gets out of car and shoves Sophia in the boot*

Sophia: (Screams loudly) "Help! Somebody help me!"

Scene 2: Sophia's House

(Enter Father)

Father: (worryingly) "Alright, thank you for the update. I'd appreciate it if you update me as soon as you know more."

Scene 3: Kidnapper's Lair

*Sophia screams loudly*

*Non diegetic music plays, gradually getting louder*

(Enter Kidnapper)

*Kidnapper pins photo of Sophia on his pin board*

-End- 

Researching and evaluating last minute risks before filming

Weather

Above is the weather forecast for 04/02/17, which will be the day that we will be filming our opening sequence. This research was necessary as it is important for us to be aware of the weather conditions so we can assess whether it will be safe to film. From looking at this weather forecast, we can therefore predict that the weather will be dry and partly cloudy, which is good weather for us to film in. We came to this conclusion as this means that the roads will not be flooded from heavy rain or icy due to freezing conditions, which could otherwise cause safety risks whilst filming. Furthermore, there are also no specific weather warnings predicted regarding strong winds, as the forecast predicts wind speeds of only 7mph, meaning that the quality of our filming should not be affected by the weather conditions. 


Sunlight during filming hours 

The image above shows the times of sunset and sunrise for the day we will be filming. From this we can tell that the sunset is at 4:56pm which therefore gives us an idea of what time we should begin filming according to how much time we should spend filming in the daylight and how much time we will need filming at dusk. 


Actors availability
Prior to filming, we had made sure that all of ours actors were able to commit to the day we had chosen to film. However, we also took into account that there would always be a risk that our actors may not be able to film due to unavoidable circumstances such as illness. Currently all of ours actors are in good health and are available for filming on 04/02/17. 


Camera equipment reliability
We have checked prior to filming that the camera equipment that we have been provided with for filming works sufficiently and that we know how to set up the equipment correctly. This check was necessary as we had to make sure that there was no issues with setting up the equipment as it could cause us to be delayed in our schedule or prevent us from filming. 


Traffic in the area during filming hours

We researched how busy the area we are planning to film in will be at certain points of the day. This is necessary as now we are aware of when we should film certain scenes according to how loud or quiet the area needs to be. This could affect the quality of our filming as the noise levels and traffic congestion are important in some of our scenes. From our research we also concluded that the house we will be filming at is located on a quiet road with very few cars throughout the day. However, there is a main road nearby which we may be filming on for some of our scenes and we discovered that there is no peak time that may be busier as it is a Saturday.