What are horror films?

Horror Films are unsettling films designed to frighten and panic, cause dread and alarm, and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. Horror films effectively center on the dark side of life, the forbidden, and strange and alarming events.

Horror films go back as far as the onset of films themselves, over a 100 years ago. From our earliest days, we use our vivid imaginations to see ghosts in shadowy shapes, to be emotionally connected to the unknown and to fear things that are improbable. Watching a horror film gives an opening into that scary world, into an outlet for the essence of fear itself, without actually being in danger. Weird as it sounds, there's a very real thrill and fun factor in being scared or watching disturbing, horrific images.

Feedback to others of our ideas...

During one of our media lessons, our group had to pitch our ideas for the film development to the rest of the class to get different views for both the positive and negative sides of the groups ideas. Each group were given a sheet to full out all the feedback on, while our group was giving the pitch. Below are the scanned sheets in which each group filled out...

An example of the order of titles...

Example of order of titles:
- When analysing ‘Se7en’ title sequence...
1. Company names...
2. Distributor 1st ...
3. Production 2nd ...
4. Film by...
5. Characters names/actors...
6. Film name...
7. More actors/actresses...
8. Casting by...
9. Music by...
10. Costume designer...
11. Editors...
12. Production designer...
13. Director of photography...
14. Co producers...
15. Co executive producers...
16. Executive producers...
17. Written by...
18. Produced by...
19. Directed by...

Production Logo...

When making this logo for our production company, we chose to use quite dark colours as the company are going to mainly produce horror films. The name of our company came about randomly, but when thinking about what could symbolise it, we started to think about sharp objects. The image we chose to represent sharp was a syringe. A syringe can be associated with death and illness, which is quite a dark thing to think about. This links to the types of films the company is likely to produce. The font of the company name was found on DaFont under the Horror section, which perfectly fits in to the genre. The writing is quite formal in a way, but there are little blotches over the writing, which make it look slightly distorted, and less clean. The red line underneath the writing makes the writing stand out, and the colour could connote blood and anger.

Who would produce/distribute our film?

The distributer in which we as a group felt would be the best for our film ideas was 'Universal'. We felt that Universal would be the better one for us, comparing to '20th century fox' in which I also researched. I found that 20th Century Fox seemed to be involved in many family types of films such as, Doctor Dolittle, Ice Age, Robots, Cheaper by the Dozen, The Simpsons movie, Alvin and the chipmunks and Marmaduke. This is when the idea of using 'Universal' to by our distributer of the film, as our production is aimed to be the genre of horror/thriller.

Institution research – Who would produce/distribute your film?

Twentieth Century Pictures was an independent Hollywood motion picture production company created in 1933 by Joseph Schenck, the former president of United Artists, Darryl F. Zanuck from Warner Brothers, William Goetz from Fox Films, and Raymond Griffith. Financial backing came from Schenck's older brother Nicholas Schenck and the father-in-law of Goetz, Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM Studios. Company product was distributed by United Artists (UA), and was filmed at various studios.

The company was founded in 1904 in New York City by William Fox, a 25 year-old Jewish Hungarian immigrant, who sold his cloth processing business and with the profits earned bought 'common show'. At that time, it was the legal phrase for the exhibition of motion pictures in a store remodeled for that purpose and containing fewer than 299 seats. These movie theaters charged five cents admission and therefore became known as "nickelodeons.

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, with hyphen, from 1935 to 1985) – also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox – is one of the six major American film studios as of 2010[update]. Located in the Century City area of Los Angeles, just west of Beverly Hills, the studio is a subsidiary of News Corporation, the media conglomerate owned by Rupert Murdoch.

In 2005 Fox Interactive Media (FIM) was formed to oversee News Corporation's new media acquisitions, FIM is a portfolio of leading social networking, entertainment, sports and information sites that offer a platform and tools for consumers to express themselves, communicate with each other, and engage with media. The company's worldwide network includes such category leaders as MySpace, Photobucket, IGN, FOXSports.com, RottenTomatoes, AskMen, Flektor and more that together comprise one of the largest audiences on the Web.

Some of the films in which 20th Century Fox were a part of was:
- Moulin Rouge!
- Ice Age
- From Hell
- Phonebooth
- Fantastic Four
- Mirrors
- Marley and Me
- Knight and Day The Filmmakers Destination is a production tool for filmmakers offering information about the lot, blueprints, photos, video, inventories and much more to assist you in completing your project. Universal has quality production, post production and special events services and facilities in a controlled environment. The studio welcomes feature films, short films, television, commercials, independent films, music videos, still shoots, new media and special events.

Each department boasts award-winning talent and experienced staff. The variety of departments have vast inventories and state-of-the-art equipment. The studio ensures excellent customer service including flexible package deals to get your project completed on time and within budget. Universal offers the convenience of one-stop shopping for all your production and post-production needs.

The studio has also made great strides in pursuing green, eco-friendly alternatives by installing solar panels, high-efficiency boilers and recycling. Universal Operations Group supports the filmmaking community by sponsoring organizations and actively participating in related events.

Some of the films in which 'Universal' have been a part of:

-The Mummy Returns

-The Fast and the furious

-Johnny English

-Hulk

-White Noise

-Children of men

-Slither

-The Strangers

Checklist for production...

Props...
- Teddies
- School bag
- Children's drawings
- Pencils

Camera equipment...
- Video Camera
- Tripod
- Microphone

Location...
- Laura's house

People...
-Young buy
- Teenage Girl

A shooting Script...

A shooting script is the version of a screenplay used during the production of a motion picture. Shooting scripts are distinct from spec scripts in that they make use of scene numbers (along with certain other formatting conventions described below), and they follow a well defined set of procedures specifying how script revisions should be implemented and circulated.

Production Brief and Treatment

Powerpoint of our own title sequences...

Brainstorm and developing some ideas for our opening

View more presentations from Laurasasmedia.

Analysis of contemporary opening title sequences vs. older opening title sequences:

Analysis of contemporary opening title sequences vs. older opening title sequences...

Vertigo Vs. Catch me if you Can:

Vertigo: A San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.
Genre of film - Crime/mystery/romance
Release Date - 21 July 1958
Tagline - A tall story about a pushover.

When looking at the codes and conventions of this title sequence, analysising the title sequence of the 1958 film, 'Verigo' it begins with a close up shot of someones face which then changes into a extremem close up shot of someones eye. This may be done this way to emphaise on the idea of looking at something closely. The eye then changes from a normal skin colour to a red image of the eye which may connote the idea of danger. Then the eye image imerges into a new image which is of a pupil of the eye, then into a spiral which changes colour and shape (this continues throughout the title sequence). During the process of the spiral changing colour and shape, it could represent to the audience the idea of confusion and disorientation which may show what the film may be about. Then the film title sequence about includes a many different names of the people behind the making of the film. Names such as the co-director, casting, actors/actresses, screenplay, director of photography, sound recorder, make up artist, who edited it and many more behind the scenes roles. Then once the names have all been shown, the spiral changes back into the pupil of the eye, showing that the credits of the names have finished and the film is about to begin. The music which has been used I feel connotes the idea to the audience of the film being about confusion as the music is very edgy with loads of beats.

Catch Me If You Can: A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor.
Genre of the film - Crime/Drama/Biography
Release Date - 31 January 2003
Tagline - Catch them this christmas.

When analysising the title sequence of the 2002 film, 'Catch Me If You Can' the audience are able to realise that it is an all animated title sequence. The music throughout the title sequence is the sound of a harp playing, which connotes the idea of peace. However, when the harp music becomes faster and more up beat, it connotes the idea of something being fast or in a rush, showing that this film may be about someone that has to be shy but quick at the job, maybe a spy or secret agent.

The title sequence also begins with an animation of people walking with a briefcase in their hands and airplaines in the sky. This could connote that these people could be important or have a high paid job, and showing that they are at an airport. The graphic image has three colours used in the first shot, blue, white and black. This may connote the idea of being calm and laid back, when using the blue colour. The names of people included in the production of the film are also consist of these colours, as the text emerges from the images. The text then changes and forms into another name and image. The images of air hostessesand a sign with a yellow arrow on it, which is a connotation of an airport; showing the idea of travelling. The text then becomes part of the images and changes a male cartoon to someone with a hat on, which could connote the idea that the film is part of changing identity. As the title sequence continues the animations almost confirm to the audience that it is based in an airport due to the use of images such as more airplanes and air hostesses, which could be a connotation to people travelling maybe for leisure or something such as escaping. The character walks up some black steps, running away from someone connoting that this person is running away from someone, maybe becuase they have done something wrong. The title sequence continues with a variety of different animated scenes which connote the idea of running away and different identities throughout the different themes. For example, the scene of a taxi driving through different streets could connote the of running away from something.

Key Concepts to remember...

Insitution: The organisation/s that create media texts.
Genre: A way of categorising texts according to shared conventions.
Represention: The ways in which the world is re-presented to us by the media.
Audience: The people who buy/ consume a media text.
Ideology: The beliefs, ideas and value systems behind or reflected within a media text.
Semiotics: It is the study of signs and communication through symbols.
Narrative: Story/plot.
Narrative story: The straight forward story, from beginning to end, chronological order.
Narrative Plot: Events as they are presented to the audience by the author. Could start at the end and then rewind the story.

Sweeney Todd - Title sequence by Richard Morrison...

Title Sequence finishes at approx 2.20 minutes.



The title sequence begins quite dark, it is set in the evening and the weather is quite bleak and raining, connoting the idea of something quite sinister or maybe evening representing the mood of one of the characters; run down and depressed. Blood then drips onto the window, as if the water turned into blood, giving the audience an idea that the film is quite dark and serious, shows that the film could be the genre of a horror or thriller. The old silhouette of a lady’s face with blood dripping down the outline and then running down the furniture connotes the idea that the film involves death or murder. Then the blood runs down onto a mechanism which makes the cogs turn, and then the blood gets in between the cogs meaning that the blood in making it work. It could be a connotation of the idea that there is a method to the way in which everything is working. The music starts quite slow and quiet, and then speeds up; when the name of the film is shown the music becomes louder and increases in speed. After, the screen turns into a clip which includes a mince maker, which connotes the idea of cooking meat. The meat then turns into more blood, the images movement becomes faster, maybe representing that someone or something is speeding up. Flames are then shown in the title sequence, connoting the thought of something burning or maybe cooking. The shot follows into pies, which the flame is still linked to in the background, representing meat pies cooking; blood is dripping down from the shelf in which the meat pies are positioned on; with the music still increasing even more in speed connoting something is getting faster, someone having to do something in a rush. The furnace in which the meat pies are being cooked in is then shut, the audience are able to see if looking closely that there are handprints on the door made from blood, being a connotation that this film could be to do with murder. Camera shot moves to a long shot image of an underground scene, blood running through the chambers into the sewage system, representing the idea of something needing to be cleaned, maybe showing something needs to be hidden. The music gets faster yet again during this clip, which could connote that the idea of something needing to be cleaned needs to be done fast. Scene then follows the blood running through the water supplies, the setting changes, a ship immerses through the fog and the film begins.

What is the purpose of an opening title sequence?

In a idea of using an opening title sequence became increasingly common since the late 1950s, film title sequences have been a showcase for contemporary design and illustration. The title sequences of Saul Bass and Richard Morrison are among the best examples of this; they also inspired many others for doing the same for both in cinema and on television.

Research into a title sequence designer...

Powerpoint!!

What type of film are we producing...

-The Genre: Horror/Thriller.
-The Setting: In an average home, then into the young boys room and then into the garden.
-The Characters: The young boy and the older sister.
-The Target Audience: The target audience in which we all decided to use would be young adults (17-23).

Writing A Treatment

A treatment is an outline of your initial ideas. It will help you to:

- Prepare you for writing your Evaluation
- Organise what you have to do
- Remind you of how you work explores media concepts
- Be more precise about what you want to explore and achieve
- The treatment should be written using the template below and you should also consider the Evaluation Questions that you will have to address once the title sequence is complete.

Writing a treatment: Todorov

Todorov, a Bulgarian academic, devised a way of looking at narrative structures according to the different stages of the narrative:

1 The equilibrium - the state of balance in the narrative, where we get to know the characters and their situation.
2 The disruption - oppositional characters are introduced and the story moves forward.
3 The recognition (of the disruption) - where the story develops, different events and characters become involved and more drama occurs.
4 The attempts to repair the disruption - where there may be a twist or climactic point.
5 The new equilibrium - the problem is solved and harmony is resolved, though things may have changed.