ALL Casting, Location and Setting

Casting:

Camera man/Director: George Holmes, Jake Wilson

Curtis

Curtis - 'Smiley Pete' THE KILLER

Reasons for:

- Young

- Good actor for an important role

-Agressive character

Jake

Jake - Dr. Cruger THE DOCTOR

Reasons for:

- Looks like a doctor

- Reasonable actor for important role

-Tall and perfect for the role.

Martin Wilson - The Dad (TBC)

Reasons for:

- Already a dad so the role will fit nicely

Sue Wilson - The Mum (TBC)

Reasons for:

- Already a mum so the role will fit nicely

Location:

Jake Wilson House - Burley-In-Wharfedale, llkley road

Reasons for:

- Easily accessible

- A House - which is where it will be filmed

- Has a mirror in the bathroom which opens sideways.

Manor Park and Jakes House

High Royds - Menston

High Royds Establishing Shot

Reasons for:

- Old mental asylum

- Scary vibe

- Easily accessible 

- Fits into our opening

- Links with the characters description

High Royds Arial View

High Royds Front View

High Royds Forrest

High Royds Forrest

Reasons for:

-Near by

-Scary Forrest

-Easy to get to

Mise En Scene:

Using a Green Screen

Crows flying across the camera shot to signify the slasher genre also signifying horror.

Each of our characters will have a certain costume to fit their role e.g. the doctor will be wearing a white lab coat and 'smiley pete' will be wearing a patients gown to signify that he is a patient with in the asylum. Also this will create a sense of realism in our opening.

Weapon of choice-Kitchen Knife we used intertextuality from psycho for this idea because it was the original weapon and we decided we wanted our work to contain originality.

Use of the forrest which is right next to High Royds for an escape route for 'Smiley Pete'. This is a location the is used in many films, as somewhere to run/ escape for example The Last House On The Left.

Assesing Past Coursework

Tiny Terror (Georgia, Tom)

The title of the shows intertexual refferences to the film Scream by Wes Craven 1996. Also the music at the start shows slow and long drawn out notes which creates tension. Also long drawn out notes at the start of the scene and the opening shot connotes hiding in the branches or bushes and it gives you the option to put a hand in to move the branch out the way as a sort of point of view shot. It includes a false scare early in the opening hich works nice. This also has intertextual referances to the film Omen including calling the boy Damien. This then fades out to black and fades back in, this is a simple elipsis transition. They use a dutch angle which shows something is going to happen which is not normal. Diaglogue is key for exposition which provides information to the audience of whats on the screen.poo.




Underground (

We can tell straight away that the first man on screen is going to die, this is signified by him holding alcohol in his hand. The camera is a point of view shot, which is shaky. This is to signify he is drunk. Then we get a point of view shot of someone hidng in the bushes signifying he is being stalked. We then get a shoddy violence scene which is quite poor however good misenscene with blood in the snow. There is a use of video effect to signify CCTV.



Red Run (dillon,

Idents work well with the film and clearly signify a horror film. titles are placed nice and used correctly with the film genre. The shot variety is good with the point of view shot of the perosn walking to the house. However the lack of diagetic sound means the verisimillitude has broke which means it hasn't achieved realism. We see a kettle being clicked on but dont hear it.

Music in slasher genre 

It is used to create tension and to scare the audience, for example without the screeching high pitch music from pyscho shower scene then it wouldn't be as scary as it is, maybe not even scary at all. It will completely dull the fear factor. 

Audience

Different films will attract different audiences, in slasher horrors the general primary target audience is 15 - 24. With intertextual references you can widen the audience to around 15- 30 because the film can relate to them. The secondary source is 35+. 

False Scare partially demonstrate hybridity.

Dracula

Drancula (Christopher, 1958)

Budget

£81,000 (estimated)

Filming Dates

11 November 1957


In the 1950's the horror was either gothic or creature features, with the hammer horror movies which were the biggest force in the 1960's the main characters were mature upper class adults and filmed either on stage or looked like it were filmed on stage. Last House On The Left and Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Black Christmas were all middle class which were all filmed with portable cameras and made to look realistic. Hammer horror were staged theatrical, however psycho and Last Halloween were realistic looking.

Friday The 13th

Friday the 13th (1980, Sean S. Cunningham)

 

 

 

Budget

$550,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend

$5,816,321 (USA) (11 May 1980) (1 Screen)

Gross

$5,816,321 (USA) (11 May 1980)
$39,754,601 (USA)
AUD 2,202,000 (Australia)
$853,857 (Germany)
SEK 1,328,976 (Sweden)

Weekend Gross

$5,816,321 (USA) (11 May 1980) (1 Screen)








The Story


A 1958 prologue (it looks like 1978) shows two young summer-camp counselors about to have sex when a mystery assailant -- apparently someone they know -- slashes them to death. The camp, now known to locals as "Camp Blood," is closed for 20 years as a result, but is now re-opening, on a dark-and-stormy Friday the 13th. Another group of young, largely sex-minded counselors are gathering for orientation (it's a small mercy that despite the summer-camp setting, children are not present in most Jason movies). Sure enough, an unseen attacker again begins knifing them to death, one by one. Since these youths are prone to playing practical jokes on one another, or sneaking off for sex and drugs, they take little note of their cohorts' strange absences until nearly all of them are dead.


.

Black Christmas (1974, Bob Clark)

Budget

$CAD686,000 (estimated)

Gross

$4,053,000 (USA)

Production Dates

February 1974 -  May 1974

Filming Dates

25 March 1974 - 11 May 1974

It is a very low budgit film.

There is a remake of the film aswell. Threee events happen around the house going round searching for 3 girls.

We put the audience in the view of the killer in affect making the audience the killer. The audience came to see vioence so thats why they are positioned as the killer. We don't find the motivation of the killer, which makes it scarier. This is called narrtive enigma.

Narrative Representation

What is should include.

• STEREOTYPES 
• ARCHETYPES
• COUNTER-TYPES

Denotation - description of what you can see or hear.

Connotation - the mental concept that it see, an interpretation of the media. (red rose resemblance's romance )

Sexuality - normative (when you see hetro-sexual couples, you see that it is normal. However if theres a gay couple then the killer will have a grudge against gay people.)

Typically we see disabled people as outsiders and they are the weak and need help.

We are analysing 3 slasher films and showing narrative representation. 

Slasher Openings Titles Idents Vodcast

Titles and Idents

In all slasher opening scenes you get your typical elements to the films titles and idents. This can include several things which include Diagetic and Non Diagetic music to acompany them.

They always usually include non diagetic sound to create tension and a scary atmosphere for the audience. This builds up the opening straight away for suspense or the "on the edge of your seat" feeling.

This opening music usually is either high a high pitch song or a tense disturbing long noise. Slasher films also have diagetic sound to signify to the audience what is happening in the film or give hints towards something which is going to happen.

For example hearing a scraping metallic sound is used, which links into the type of weaponry of which the title "slasher genre" gets it name.

Usually the shots used are an establishing shot and an extreme longshot, this is to give the audiece expostion of the film for example the scenary can signify whats going to happen.

With the idents, they usualy are at the beggining of a film and inlcude there own logo acompanied by non diagetic sound. There are not longer than 15 seconds usually. Depending on the budget of the film or how many producers there are the more the idents the film will have.

Some times the film have adapted idents to the film which match the film genre. For example the Warner Bros Ident in Harry Potter was changed to suit the film with a dark effect added. 

Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)

Budget

$806,947 (estimated)

Gross

$32,000,000 (USA)
$50,000,000 (Worldwide) ( January 2004)

Admissions

724,160 (Spain)

Rentals

$11,200,000 (USA)

Production Dates

October 1959 -  February 1960

Filming Dates

30 November 1959 - 1 February 1960 (additional scenes 15 February 1960 and 1 March 1960)

Copyright Holder

Shannon Productions, Inc.; 16 June 1960; LP16674 (in copyright registry) Copyright 1960 Shamley Productions, Inc. Renewed 1988 by Universal City Studios, Inc.



Key Points

• The slow panning sequence is of complete contrast to the fast paced, almost maniacle titles. Exposition is provided in the form of captions.
• The camera takes in the vast expanse of the city; but a gentle zoom suggests that it is searching for something.

• The change in captions each signal a shot change; the opening isn't actually one sequence. However, the presence of the same titles acts as a visual bridge that links each successive shot together in the audience's mind and makes the changes harder to spot.
• There are feelings of voyeurism as we spy on a couple getting dressed in a hotel room. Plenty of exposition comes from the exchange of dialogue between them, and we learn about their relationship.
• The very sedate, romantic opening is completely at odds with the ideas we have collected about the film; that it's a thriller featuring a psychopathic killer. In a sense, the entire opening acts as a red herring and throws us off the scent, although there are a few hints to later developments.
• Dialogue reveals that they are both living unfulfilled lives; unable to get the jobs they want and owing money to other people. This desperate attitude sets the events of the film in motion.
• Throughout the scene the emphasis is on Marion; the camera framing her in the foreground with far more close up shots. Sam is off-centre in nearly every shot, and as a result feels more distant in the mind of the audience.
• Again, although this shot is of Sam, he is off-centre and facing away from the camera, staring over the city below. The window has many connotations, including escape, hope and desire.
• Quick pace editing, the father of all slasher stalking scenes is psycho, this stalking scene is iconic as it used quick pace editing to make it look realistic and scary, without the uses of special effects we have now. I also looked at quick pace editing in the film hell night, this uses quick pace editing when the victim is grabbed to create a sense of panic, hiding everything away from the viewer, so there is a sense of anticipation of whats going to happen. Quick pace editing is a key part of almost all slasher stalking scenes.
• Psycho’s shower scene is very iconic for its high intensity music, which creates a sense of panic, gets you on the edge of your seat. If horror films didn’t have non diegetic music most of them wouldn’t be scary, even if not doing it consciously, the music is getting you scared and anticipated for whats going to happen next.

Jennifer's Body (Karyn Kusama, 2009)

The third film is Jennifer's Body (Karyn Kusama, 2009)

Budget

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend

$6,868,397 (USA) (20 September 2009) (2,702 Screens)
£736,535 (UK) (8 November 2009) (314 Screens)

Gross

$16,195,523 (USA) (15 November 2009)
£736,535 (UK) (8 November 2009)

Weekend Gross

$8,576 (USA) (15 November 2009) (19 Screens)
£736,535 (UK) (8 November 2009) (314 Screens)

Admissions

31,475 (Netherlands) (31 December 2009)

Filming Dates

17 March 2008 - 15 May 2008

• The first ident and only ident is 20th Century Fox.
• Fades into black from the ident to a tracking shot, however it is slightly jolty. This signifies that it is either a person (stalker) or a supernatural presence. 
• We get the first Title come up which is "Fox Atomic Presents" in a Sans serif white font which has a ghost like animation to it. This connotes that this film is a horror, which also coincides with the supernatural like tracking shot.
• The camera then moves toward her bedroom window and its as if the camera is watching/stalking her.
• The mes-en-scene of the film is a dark night in a typical American Styled house. 
• The music is Non Diagetic at first with an unusual long noted sound effect playing in the background to create tension signifying a unusual presence.
• Then we get Diagetic sound coming from the TV in Jennifer's room. This connotes an unsettling atmosphere for the audience.
• We then get a panning shot of the bed panning upwards. 
• The Title of the film is then shown with a stereotypical pink Serif Font which is partially transparent, this connotes a Ghost like feel to the film.

Halloween H20 (Steve Minor, 1998)

Halloween H20 

(Steve Minor, 1998)
PRODUCED BY: Dimension Films, Nightfall Productions

BUDGET: $17m

BOX OFFICE: $55m

RUNTIME:

86min

• There is only one Ident which is "Dimension Films" which fades in from black.
• Starts with someone stabbing a pumpkin with a huge knife which connotes a knife will be used later on.
• Its one long continuous shot which creates suspension within the audience.
• The audio includes children laughing in a scary way which signifies a creepy   feel to the movie.
• The first text that comes up is the location. It is a white bold sans serif font. Then the text of the date appears central to make the audience know this is very important and catches the audiences attention.
• There is a slight tint overlay to the film which makes it darker, this makes the text stand out and gives a darker scarier feel to the film.
• The shot used is an establishing shot which tracks around and follows the women getting out the car. It then moves to medium closeup shot to show detail of the womens clothing at the same time facial expressions.
• The audio uses diagetic and non diagetic. The Non Diagetic music used is carnival themed song which signifies an unsteady setting for something mysterious.
• The music stops as soon as the she enters the house which creates suspension and signifies something is going to happen for example a false scare.
• The mes-en-scene of the film is a typical American Styled street with children playing out on the street.

Halloween Resurrection (Rick Crosslinfile, 2002)

Four Titles and Idents 

The first film we reviewed was Halloween Resurrection (Rick Crosslinfile, 2002) 

• Only one Ident which is "Dimension Films" which fades in from black.
• The titles in the film are the colour of a pumpkin which connotes its  Halloween. 
• The titles include "Dimension Films"
• List of the names of Actors in the film.
• Black background to represent it a horror.
• Intense audio to signify a Horror Genre.
• Titles fade in and out from black.
• Long title scene to create tension within the audience.
• Titles are central until the first scene comes on then the text is moved to the right.
• The text has an orange/red glow and around it as well as being sans serif which signifies a hint of blood.

Slasher Idents Research

Slasher Openings (Ident Research and Titles)

One of the basis of title sequences for a slasher film are that they can signify that it is a Horror genre. This can be done in many ways for example a intense audio connotes that it is a scary or creepy horror film.

Dimension Films

Dimension Films Logo
 

Type	Privately held
Industry	Film
Founded	1991[1]
Founder(s)	Bob Weinstein
Headquarters	New York City, United States
Products	Motion pictures

Warp Films

Warp Films Logo

Industry	Motion pictures
Founder(s)	Rob Mitchell Steve Beckett
Headquarters	Sheffield & London,  United Kingdom
Divisions	Warp Films Australia Warp X
Website	warp.net/films

Optimum Releasing 

Optimum Releasing Logo

Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Film distributor
Founded	1999
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Products	Feature films
Owner(s)	Vivendi (50%), NBCUniversal(50%)
Parent	StudioCanal
Website	http://www.studiocanal.co.uk

Lions Gate

Type	Public company
Traded as	NYSE: LGF
Industry	Motion pictures, television programming, home video, family entertainment, Video on demand,digital distribution, music, & music publishing
Founded	July 3, 1997 (Vancouver, British Columbia as Lions Gate Films)
Founder(s)	Frank Giustra
Headquarters	Santa Monica, California, United States
Area served	North America United Kingdom France Australasia
Key people	Jon Feltheimer (Co-Chairman and CEO) Michael Burns (Vice chairman) Steve Beeks (President)
Employees	486
Divisions	Lionsgate Films Lionsgate Home Entertainment Lionsgate Music & Publishing Lionsgate Television
Subsidiaries	Celestial Tiger Entertainment (owned with Saban Capital Group and Celestial Pictures) Debmar-Mercury Grindstone Entertainment Group Mandate Pictures Pantelion Films (owned with Televisa) Roadside Attractions Sea to Sky Entertainment Summit Entertainment TV Guide Network Epix (owned with Paramount Pictures andMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Website	www.lionsgate.com