Practice Filming

Audience Research

Horror film audience

'Slasher' Horror Audience:
Slasher film target audience is usually young couples or young males. The target audience's age is between 15 and 24 because people at this stage are still developing and therefore experiment with different feelings and emotions. Young people often jump into life without guidance looking for a thrill and horror movies gives them that thrill. Young people are also less likely to be put off by the violence in the film or the unnatural images which older audience may view negatively. Also young people are more likely to relate to the characters in the film which makes the audience form stronger emotional connection with the characters which therefore creates a stronger effect of horror.

Initial Costume Ideas

Mood Board

This is the mood board we made of our final task, it is used to show the theme through pictures. This will help us later on since we will be able to look back for inspiration and to also see what camera shots were used and what shots could I use for our project.

Iconography

BBFC

Bbfc from gertruda12

Cast Photographs

Name: Gertruda Dambrauskaite

Age: 16

Character: Naomi White

Character Age: 27

About: protagonist, detective

Name: Kastytis Dambrauskas

Age: 8

Character: Thomas White

Character Age: 7

About: Naomi's dead child

Film Production Companies

Final Production Company Logo

Our final choice for our logo is the 'Everlasting Studios'. The meaning behind our company name is that we create horror films that are memorable and that people want to see over and over again and that lasts forever in people's minds. 

Production Company Planning

3 of our initial production company logos made by Samanta Cichunovaite.

 

Setting Analysis

'Paranormal Activity' is set in a suburban house. It is a scary setting because it is relatable to everyone because home is supposed to be a safe place where people can relax and not worry about anything. The film is also set in a suburban town. This is also unsettling because a suburban town is not very populated and is usually away from help, this creates a sense of isolation. The film is also set around Halloween, a day that all the 'scary' things happen which links to the film where 'scary' things do actually happen and this is effective because people usually have fun during this day and do't think much about this or actually believe in the supernatural and the fact that something is happening during this time might be scary to the audience.       

Initial Ideas

Prop Analysis

                                              'Scream'

The killer in 'Scream' uses a hunting knife to kill his victims. The hunting knife, as the name suggests, is used during hunting and thus making the victims look like animals which then gives a very violent image of the killings. The top of the handle is white which makes it look like bone which represents death, and it may represent death of the victims or the fact that the killer is dressed as death and thus is death. The killer is using a knife which means that the killer will have to get really close to his victims to kill them. This shows that the killer is really vicious and maybe even that he wants to get really close to the victims because he enjoys killing and wants to see his victims suffering up close.

Director Case Study

Wes Craven from gertruda12

Costume Analysis

Slasher Conventions

Slasher films typically involve a psychopathic serial killer, sometimes wearing a mask of some sort, who kill adolescent victims in a random, unprovoked manner, usually many at a time.

 A slasher film also has the 'final girl' character who live to tell the story; Anti-heroic characterisation of the villain by following their efforts rather than the victims' and thus this idolisation of the villain creates an anti-hero.


The Final Girl:
The final girl is usually a virgin and innocent how starts to build confidence throughout the film. She usually wears clothes that would seem unattractive and she is most likely not blond. She is the last character to be alive in the film.


The Monster/Killer:
the identity of the killer is usually hidden either be a mask or creative lighting techniques to keep audience guessing and on edge about who the killer is and to hide the killer's identity which is most likely to be revealed at the end of the film. The weapon of the antagonist is most likely to be a hand held weapon such as a knife or a chainsaw, and most likely jagged. Killer is also most likely to be male. Most commonly, the reason behind the killer's actions is a childhood trauma which explains the killer's choice of victims and the choice of weapon, this is done so that the audience understand and pity the killer. As this sub-genre developed, some stated to argue that the star of the film is the killer and not 'The Final Girl'.


The Location:
The location is usually a suburban town. This generates fear into the audience because it is relatable and that home is supposed to be a safe lace. The location is usually low in population because it creates a sense of isolation. The killer also sometimes destroys victims' means of escape for example, a car, so that he can kill his victims easier.  

The Lighting:
Lighting is usually dark and is used to create shadows to establish the feeling of mystery and fear. This is one of the most important conventions of this genre.

There is the first girl who die and is there to set the film and establish the killer.

There is also a benefactor who gives hope for the final girl and the audience and who giver information about the monster/killer or how to kill it and may even give a weapon to kill it with.


      

Synopsis

A detective Naomi White used to share a normal life with her husband and her son Thomas until the day he disappeared. Since then things were never the same for her, her husband divorced her as he couldn't stop blaming her for what happened.

Three years later she's an alcoholic who is about to get fired from her job because she can't get herself together. For her last case she has to investigate a missing serial killer and discover his victims.

As she starts investigating the crime scene she sees a lot of pictures of people hung on the wall as she assumes that they are possibly the victims but something seems out of order. With the corner of her eye she notices a pictures that seems a little to familiar as she realises its a picture of her missing son.

With anger flowing through her veins she decided she'll do anything in her power to find the killer, and so the hunt begins. 

A new detective Adrian Gray is assigned to the case alongside her and as much she wants to find the murder by herself she knows that it won't be so easy and that she'll need help so she agrees to working with him. 

He soon gains her trust as he safes her life by protecting her from a prisoner that escapes and gets and access to a gun. With the detective helping her she feels like she's getting closer and closer to finding the killer. During the investigation there seems to be more new victims appearing which shows that the killer is still in the town hiding.

During a dinner with him she's trying to find out more about him but he seems to be hesitant to answer any of her questions which then makes Naomi question him. He then asks her about her child and how long he has been missing and she realises that she has never once mentioned her child to him. 

Few days pass and she finds someone who allegedly has seen the killer, however to question the witness she goes alone. She asks the victim to describe the killer as she starts to sketch him. The result she sees leaves her feeling uncomfortable as it resembles someone she thinks she knows.

She returns to her house to only find Adrian waiting for her there, and then it hits her. He is the man in the sketch. She tries to act as normal as she can until they enter her house and start talking. She starts hinting the fact that she knows who he is as she's slowly getting her gun out of her pocket.

He realises that she knows and then decides to leave because he has somewhere to be.

The evening comes and she finds herself falling asleep until she hears something strange downstairs. She walks down stairs and sees Adrian standing at her front door. He admits to killing her child which then makes her go mental running down the stairs and uncontrollably firing her gun at him but missing each time. She is screaming begging for explanation and as she gets closer to him he stabs her side. She backs away from him and starts running towards her kitchen to grab something to protect herself with but he grabs her by her hair and throws her on the floor. He shows her no mercy as he starts stabbing her violently until he is covered in blood and she is dead.