Test shots

We tested some shots to to see what they bring out of the scene which will allow us to create an effective horror trailer.

Long Shot:

The importance of this being a long shot is that we start to get an idea of the character's environment. Long shots usually tend to introduce the beginning of most scenes. This sets the motion and well as the audience's perception of time, place and logical action of the scene that is about to be revealed  through the long shot. 

Extreme Close up:

This extreme close up shot shows intensity of the current scene at that moment. We can tell that the director is trying to portray an intense feeling as we can see all the small details such as the colour differentiation in the iris, we can see all the detail like the lines and where the colour starts to change. Another small detail which allows us as the audience to see that it is an intense feeling is that we cam see is each and every single hair for the eyelashes and eyebrows.

Medium shot:

A medium shot usually shows the character(s) from their waist and above. These shots help to show people in the context of the background. The medium shot should generally contain all the action of the scene, it should also be well matched with the flow of the long shot. The importance of this specific picture being medium shot is that we can understand the emotions that the characters in this scene are facing and it allows it all to come together.

Extreme Long shot:

An extreme close-up of a face, for instance, would show only the mouth or eyes. it is used for dramatic effect. An extreme long shot tends to show a large amount of the scene/landscape. It is used at the beginning of a scene or a film to establish main place. 

Point of View shot:


A point of view shot usually shows it from the actors/actresses perspective. Its usually edited in a way so that the audience can understand whose perspective its from. 














Low angle shot:

A low angle shot is the complete opposite from a high angle shot. Instead of the showing how vulnerable the character is its shows how powerful the character is, this may allow the audience to get a real sense of how tough this character may be.

Over the Shoulder shot: 

In film or video, an over the shoulder shot (also over shoulder, ab tu, OTS, or third-person shot) is a shot of someone or something taken from the perspective or camera angle from the shoulder of another person















high angle shot: 

A high-angle shot is a cinematic technique where the camera looks down on the subject from a high angle and the point of focus often gets "swallowed up." High-angle shots can make the subject seem vulnerable or chicken when applied with the correct mood, setting, and effects.

Personal Release forms

This is the personal release form that we came up with as a group. The release form notifies the actors about their legal rights and informs them of the options they have if they don't feel comfortable being filmed. The release form gives them all the information about us and allows them to have a better idea of what they are getting themselves in to. The release form is way to ensure their security and take their permission to use their footage in our trailer. The release form acts as a proof for us and the actors that they have given consent to us for being a part of our film. This also helps us to make sure the health safety of the actors. The release forms will be distributed to all the actors in our film and will be received from them before we start filming to make sure their consent is taken.

Contingency Plan

A Contingency plan is a plan designed to take account of any possible events or circumstances. During the filming process, there can be a few issues that can occur but we have a contingency plan if the situations happen. This is vital as by having a contingency plan we can avoid situations which could make the filming and editing process inconvenient for us. Furthermore this will allow our group to be more efficient and organised therefore not wasting any valuable time which is needed for filming.

During the filming of the teaser trailer someone might fall ill. If this happens we will have to change the dates for our filming and do it according to the actors’ health. However, if this is the case we will have to speed up the filming process to catch up on the time that we didn't film and to avoid rushing the filming because of less time. Speeding the filming process will help us catch up soon. However, this can be avoided as we could look into having an understudy for our 2 characters which will make situations like this unlikely to occur therefore allowing us to make the most of our time.

Another problem that we might come across can be the availability of the settings we are filming in. For example, we are filming in a house and there can be a day when it’s not free or the person who owns it is not home so we will have to make sure that we provide them with dates of when we are filming to avoid any clashes. We can avoid this by having planned the days in advanced of where we want to fil, where we want to film and how long we will approximately be, this will allow us to be efficient as a group. Also, as part of research we have to do location recces and call sheets which help us to get the dates right and provide a copy of those to the location heads and the actors to avoid any last moment cancellations while filming. This means that we will be able to make the most of our time and have good footage to use for our trailer as it will have been carefully thought out.

It is also possible that important equipment might be forgotten on the day of the filming. To avoid that we will have to have substitutes which can be used in place of the equipment. This will help save time and the filming process will not be delayed. This can also be avoided by having a checklist made and checking that we have everything before we leave if we are filming outside. When filming outside we should also come prepared with spare batteries as we won’t be able to charge the camera as there will be no sockets. If we forget something like this we won’t have as long to film as we will have a limited amount of time.

One of the main problems that can occur is during the editing process, when the clips cannot be found on the system. A way we can avoid this is by naming every clip according to when it has to be added while editing to make it convenient and easy to find the clip. Also, the clips can be double checked at the time they are filmed to make sure it’s safe and sound and is there. Arranging the files by date and time will also help looking for the clip easier. This will improve our efficiency as a group as we will be able to work faster which will give us more time to make sure our teaser is perfect. This will also make us work better as a group as we will not get as stressed as we will know where all our files are and what they consist of.

Costume and Props

Jenna Johnson

We would like Jenna to be wearing dark colors as it will reflect her depressing personality, her clothing will also be simplistic to show her age. She will be wearing clothes like a hoodie, t-shirt, jeans and trainers to show that she is closed to herself. By having her dressed in a certain way it will we will be able to put her across the way that we want the audience to see her allowing us to have an effective trailer. We will also have props to show her personality for example we will be showing her room with old books, bottles and candles. However in her room there will be things to help show what kind of person she is for example fairy lights and ornaments.

 

Rachel Johnson

This is Jenna's mother who is more modernised and lively compared to Jenna. Therefore this should be represented through her dress sense. So ideally she should be wearing dresses with happy colours such as sky blue and pink which will show through her personality. She should also be wearing heels and a fair amount of make up. Therefore her costume will be blue jeans, flats, top and a cardigan. Props wise she will not have much we can show her holding a book and wearing a necklace. By focusing on the details we will be able to get across the character the way we want the audience to see it resulting in having an effective trailer.

Problems we may face whilst filming

One of the next scenes are going to be filmed outside in a Graveyard. This may be a problem due to the British weather. If we are not able to finish our scene in the park in a day it may be hard to have the effect of continuity as one day it may have just stopped raining making it look as a dull atmosphere and the next day sunny which wouldn't match when put together. To avoid things like this happening we must work fast so that we have the effect of continuity.Therefore we may face the problem of the camera battery running out quickly. When we were filming inside we had a chord which we could plug in so we could still use the camera even without charge. Outside in the park we won't have the option of using a chord therefore we should come prepared with an extra battery or the battery having an extremely good charge and to work fast as a group.

For the rest of the trailer we will be filming inside, the main problem we will same is continuity. If it takes longer than expected to film what we need it may result in poor continuity so when it comes to the editing it won't be consistent. If there isn't good continuity it will result in our overall trailer not looking as real as it could therefore not being as effective.

Call Back sheets

We will be using call back sheets to tell people where they need to be and when they need to be there. By using a call back sheet they will have our details so that they can contact us in case of an emergency, this will allow us to be more organised and efficient resulting in filming done when needed and having good footage for our trailer.

Storyboard Evaluation

Our media text is called ‘Visions’, a supernatural themed horror film trailer. It revolves around a teenager, called Jenna, who has a reserved personality. Her family for generations have had the ability to glimpse into the future however Rachel, Jenna’s mother, thought she could protect her daughter by not mentioning their family’s power. Jenna, being an antisocial character herself, never revealed her abilities to her mother too. During one ordinary evening, she has another vision, a vision she did not expect to see for a long time. Her mother is murdered by an entity that seeks her family’s power. Before her last moments, she confronts Jenna through the vision, warning her that she is not safe. The panic-stricken Jenna makes this a personal battle between her and the spirit. Jenna can either fight or die trying. 

A storyboard is a visual aid for a storyline communicating what is aimed to be shown in each shot. In our storyboard, we have constituted our storyline through a range of shots. Most of the shots used is in the perspective of the spirit. Through doing so, we intend to conform to Freud’s theory of sadistic voyeurism to suggest that Jenna is never safe. The audience become anxious as they know Jenna is in danger yet they are unsure when the spirit plans to attack. This result generates suspense. For the character Rachel, we have used high angles to show she is weaker compared to the spirit. On the other hand, we have used medium levelled shots for Jenna. This is to show she is equivalent to the spirit meaning either party has equal chances to win. Only one point of view shot has been used to show that Jenna’s visions are real. We have subverted from the convention of constantly using point of view shots as we want to reinforce that Jenna is a reserved character. By not allowing the audience to see through her eyes, we are generating fear as they are unable to predict what she plans to do as well. Rachel does not wear provocative clothing yet still dies subverting from Clover’s final girl theory. This also applies for Jenna who constantly wears dull clothing to demonstrate her attitude towards life. The spirit is never actually shown, only shadows and the surroundings behaving unusual represent the spirits presence. Overall, we see Rachel is weak whereas Jenna and the spirit are on equal standing. 

To make it scary, we have conformed with the common convention of dim lighting. This is because it limits what can be seen and therefore leaves it to the audience’s imagination to predict what is happening. Our film setting is modernised. Usually older horror movies would take place in an isolated area such as a field to communicate the atmosphere of loneliness. Our setting is more urban suggesting that the spirit can attack at any time. The fact that the story takes place in the home conflicts with the idea that the home is meant to be a relaxing place. This suggests that Jenna's whole life is imbalanced. We have used blood in our trailer, associating with pain and violence. 

 The audience it is aimed at is 15 and over. Our text does not include profanity or nudity which will alarm audiences. However the theme of death is constituted through our product which may be concerning for younger audiences. There will be moderate violence included which is what develops the film from a 12 to 15. Moreover, as we use the theme of the supernatural, younger audiences may find some of the film content frightening. In compliance to the BBFC, we have decided the safer option is to age rate our film as a 15. 

An independent institution would fund the production of this film such as Blumhouse productions. Blumhouse Productions is an American film and television production company, founded by Jason Blum. Blumhouse produces low-budget horror movies which is effectively what our film is. Similar films such as Insidious was funded by this institution. This suggests they are a company that would fund this film. 

Animatic Story Board

Story Board

Shooting Script

Equipment list

We have decided that to make an effective trailer we will need certain pieces of equipment.

Risk Assessment

HAZARD	PERSON WHO MAY BE HARMED	PROPERTY/ PERSON WHICH MAY BE DAMAGED	RISK CONTROLS ALREADY IN PLACE	RISK ASSESSMENT LEVEL	ACTION REQUIRED TO CONTROL
FAKE BLOOD	The actor who needs to wear it or use it during filming	The actor wearing it as it may cause a rash	Check in advance if there is anything in it they are allergic to	High	Make sure that the blood bought isn’t irritant
CONTACTS	The actor who needs to wear it or use it during filming	It could be irritant and cause possible scaring	Check in advance if they are allergic to the material of the contact	High	Check in advance if they are allergic to wearing contacts
CANDLE	Everyone in the location	Everyone	Make sure that the candle is in something secure so there is no chance of it falling over and starting a fire.	High	Make sure that the candle is in something secure and it is not lit unless needed
MATCHES/ LIGHTER	Everyone in the location	Everyone	Make sure that they are properly put out and put somewhere safe after used	High	Make sure that they are properly put out and put somewhere safe
SCARF	The actors	The actor and possibly equipment	Make sure that there isn’t any of hanging around	average	It is secure and isn’t dangling around feet
PERFORMING STUNTS	The actor	The actor	Making sure that they learn how to perform this safely and properly	Average	Asking someone who knows how to do stunts and practise of soft ground
MATERIAL OF COSTUMES	The actors	The actor wearing it as it may cause a rash	Checking in advance if there is any material which irritates them	Average	Asking what material irritates them

LOCATION HAZARD	TYPE OF LOCATION	PROPERTY/ PERSON WHICH MAY BE DAMAGED	RISK CONTROLS ALREADY IN PLACE	RISK ASSESSMENT LEVEL	ACTION REQUIRED TO CONTROL
HOUSE	INTERIOR	When using the fake blood on the floor it could stain which will ruin it. It could also go on object which will damage them.  There are also a lot of cables which we could spill liquid, slip on the floor as it is wooden; tripping over camera equipment; big bed makes the room seem smaller which could make it easier for accidents. There are also glass objects which could fall over and break which could cut someone.	Don’t leave it on the floor for too long and make sure no everyone has it on their hands. We can avoid spilling liquid on the cables by not going near them with any liquids, walk carefully to avoid slipping, make sure all glass objects are put aside to avoid it breaking.	Low	Don’t spread the blood all over keep it within a certain amount of space. Make sure all glass objects are put away and all cables are put away.
GRAVEYARD	EXTERIOR	Pictures and flowers left on the grave. The weather, if it rains it could be slippery and result in us falling over.	Make sure we watch where we are walking	Low	Make sure its shot near graves which aren’t highly decorated. Be careful where we walk on the graveyard (away from mud)