We have tested our film opening on our target audience asking for the strengths and weaknesses
The majority of our feedback was positive and people seemed to think it was an effective opening
We have had to make a few changes for our final cut
We have cut a shot which prevented a continuous edit in the sequence
We have also added a drone soundtrack to the back of the sequence as this makes the suspense and tension build up more before the girl begins to appear
To
get these results we used a ranking question and asked for the fonts to be
placed in order of favouritism in order to help us select the best one to use
as a main title. This shows that the most popular font was the first one by
13%.
However, we have decided that the appearance of the 2nd font
suits our location and plot better than the first so we have decided to use
this. As it was the second most popular we feel that this has still taken our
results into account.
These
results from the semantic differential question were very helpful for guidance
when we came to cast the young girl. The actress we are using meets all of
these characteristics except for hair colour.
We believe people felt that dark
hair would have worked better for an antagonist, however, that is not the
character we are attempting to portray as the girl was a victim herself so we
would like her to have a slight innocence to her.
Furthermore, blonde hair
makes the binary the girl and the two boys more evident.
For
these results we also used a rank question, this data confirms what we felt to
be the best location so we will, therefore, be using the abandoned house for
our setting.
We
had a similar method for this question as the location one,using a rank question.
After testing various props in the centre we actually decided that we weren't extremely pleased with any of them.
We then had the idea of using old jewellery and after testing this decided that it was more effective.
We have taken this into consideration and have placed the main title at the end of the sequence.
However, it is typical for the cast and crew titles to be positioned at the beginning so we have done this in our opening shots.
In Evaluation...
It is clear that the majority of people believe that the undead girl should be short, with dark hair, reasonably young and extremely pale.
After reviewing this we still believe that she should be blonde, because the idea with the plot synopsis is that this girl isn't an evil entity, she is the younger sister of one of the male protagonists, and the blonde hair gives her an essence of innocence because she is more of a victim than an antagonist.
There was a lot of discrepancy over which font was the best for the style of film we are shooting. Due to this we may have to review which font we use.
The location of an abandoned house was extremely popular, which means that we made the right choice in choosing this as our main location, and we won't be changing it.
We may have to consider adding some gore to the opening, as although many people said that it didn't really matter, there were a few who thought it was quite important. So we might add an element of gore in order to cater to a larger audience.
Breathing - effective to see the breath of the actors when they are chanting as it creates more of an eerie atmosphere
The appearances of the girl around the room create fear and tension
The dialogue is emotional and relevant to help showing the narrative
The current after effects are effective - colour
Things to work on:
Needs cutting down as it is currently too long
Maybe remove some more of the shot reverse shots as there is a large amount of these that they may not be needed
After the girl appears once she can just start appearing everywhere and the chanting in between isn't necessary
Consider colour grading to black and white when the presence of the girl is apparent so give the feel that she is sucking out the colour - this will help to further build suspense and show a binary between her and the male characters by contrasting the shots
We also need to finish working on our sound, we will consider layering the chanting so it creates an echoed effect to build suspense faster
We looked at various different fonts that we thought would be appropriate to use for our films titles.
To gain a better idea of what is commonly used for our chosen sub-genre of horror, paranormal, we each did an analysis of a title sequence from a film of the same genre.
This gave us a far better understanding of the importance of colour, positioning, font, size and animation.
We took inspiration from Insidious (Wan, 2010) for the animation of our main title and have decided that we will make it flicker at the end like candle light as this links with our production and has connotations of summoning.
After taking inspiration from The Conjuring (Wan, 2013), we have also decided that the font will be white on a black screen as this is clear to read and the darkness connotes fear and mystery which is appropriate to this genre.
Furthermore, keeping the main title black and white creates an eerie atmosphere.
After choosing some different fonts which we thought were suitable we came to a final conclusion on the one we intend to use after receiving our questionnaire feedback.
Crimes Times Six
We thought this would be appropriate as it has a scratched effect on it which connotes violence and fear.
Nightmare
We felt that although this would be appropriate for a horror film, it wouldn't be as fitting to our particular sub-genre.
October Crow
We thought that this font also had a scratched effect to itwhich would be effective for this sub-genre.
Northwood High
This is the font which we have decided to use for the main title of our production. We felt that this was fitting for the location of our film (an abandoned house) and the faded effect is appropriate to our genre.
The purpose of the risk assessment was to ensure that everyone who was involved in a shoot was fully aware of the possible risks and hazards within a location which could occur
The risk assessment above shows what we believed to be the greatest risks to us and we were able to plan how we intended to reduce this as best as possible
This meant that on the day of our shoots we were more aware of our location/surroundings and were careful where necessary.
Since we wanted to film near the smashed glass so we had to take extra care but our risk assessment helped with this
This picture would be ideal for an establishing shot. The location of the woods is a common convention of horror, which naturally insights fear and anticipation within the audience.
The old path is also quite unsettling.
The location of an old, creepy house is also frequently used in horror, and has connotations of hauntings and the dead.
The inside is dark and dusty, which is perfect for a horror film. The old junk in there could also be used for mise-en-scene.
We held this shoot at an outer house/barn next to Callum's house.
This has proved to be a very effective location as the mise-en-scene we have been able to set up creates a creepy atmosphere. We all worked for a long time period getting everything into the best positions and placements.
I was in charge of filming and we focused on the scenes which involve our actress (the young girl).
We got many effective shots, for example, her in the centre of the pentangle, appearing and also looking out the window as the 2 male characters walk away.
I helped to do the makeup on our actress, darkening under her eyes in order for her to appear more hellish.
Also, I was responsible for the filming equipment we were using on the shoot as I bought much of it with me.
We used our storyboard to ensure we didn't miss any crucial shots and this also made it easier for us to not shoot chronologically as we knew what would be following.
It also helped with getting a range of angles as we were able to plan where we would use a range of them prior.
We have faced the challenge of lighting in our shoot, the first time we attempted to film it was far too dark so you were unable to see anything and we, therefore, were unable to use any of this footage. (see below)
This has also had an effect on our focusing as we now know to use manual focus instead of auto.
Another way we have overcome this is by using a reflector to make it brighter along with torches.
Mainly we have had to have our shoots earlier in the day as it is easier to edit our footage to appear darker than the reverse.
We intend to continue doing this in our next shoots and also attempt to get a better range of shot positioning as we have many mid shots and not a large amount of variation.
00:00 – 00:08 THE PERRON FAMILY
00:09 – 00:16 THE WARREN FAMILY
00:17 – 00:22 DIRECTED BY JAMES WAN
00:23 – 00:26 WRITTEN BY CHAD HAYES
00:27 – 00:31 PRODUCED BY TONY DE
ROSA – GRUND PETER SAFRAN ROB COWAN
00:32 – 00:37 EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
WALTER HAMADA DAVE NEUSTADTER
00:38 – 00:42 DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
JOHN R. LEONETTI ASC
00:43 – 00:47 PRODUCTION DESIGNER
JULIE BERGHOFF
00:48 – 00:52 EDITED BY KIRK MORRI
00:53 – 00:57 PATRICK WILSON
00:58 – 01:01 VERA KARMIGA
01:02 – 01:05 RON LIVINGSTON
01:06 – 01:08 transition with a photograph 01:08 – 01:11 AND LILI TAYLOR
01:12 – 01:18 JOEY KING SHANLEY
CASWELL HAYLEY MCFARLAND MAKENZIE FOY
01:19 – 01:23 SHANNON KOOK JOHN
BROTHERTON STERLING JERINS
01:24 – 01:28 CASTING BY ANNE
MCCARTHY AND KELLIE GESELL
01:29 – 01:33 COSTUMES DESIGNED BY
KRISTEN M BURKE
01:34 – 01:38 MUSIC BY JOSEPH BISHARA
01:39 – 01:43 A NEW LINE CINEMA
PRESENTATION
01:44 – 01:45 transition with a photograph 01:46 – 01:48 SAFRAN COMPANY EVERGREEN
MEDIA GROUP PRODUCTION
01:49 – 01:54 A JAMES WAN FILM
01:55 – 01:56 transition
with a photograph 01:57 – 02:01 THE CONJURING
Typography
All of the opening titles/credits
are coloured black or occasionally white if there is a black background. The
colour black has typical connotations of mystery and evil which is suitable for
this films paranormal genre. Keeping the sequence in black and white also
creates an eerie atmosphere which establishes the mood for the film.
The font which is
used for the cast and crew members names is very simplistic and quite block
shaped due to being entirely in upper case. This makes the font easier to read
for the audience as, evidently from the shot times above, there isn’t a large
amount of time to do this in.
Also, since the
sequence consists of a series of stills which are very interesting to look at,
any different type of font may detract from this which is not the desired
outcome.
The titles appear and
disappear at a fast pace which builds up tension and suspense.
The sizing of the
font has also been considered. Words, such as ‘WRITTEN BY’ are smaller than the
name which follows; this gives prevalence to the name causing the audience to
give this their attention.
The positioning of
the titles within the frame make them clear to see; they usually have a box to
themselves which is placed in the clearest part of the image currently in shot.
The first and last
name to appear is ‘JAMES WAN’ since the director is considered the most
important person.
Furthermore, certain
people have a longer shot time than others do which shows the difference
between the director, producer, main cast and the supporting cast.
Finally, the film’s
title ‘THE CONJURING’ is the last thing to appear in the sequence along with a
picture of the setting fully establishing the film. This font also slightly
differs from the rest, being made bolder, which causes it to stand out more
However, the font
which is usually used for the films main title (on posters etc) was not used in
the title sequence, possibly since it may have looked odd within the theme of
the sequence.
What else have I learnt from this?
The transitions which are used between shots,
for example fade to black and fade in, kept the colour scheme dark causing the
creepy atmosphere to continue.
This is accentuated by the
slow pace which is created, as with the use of music, this really builds up
suspense for the rest of the film.
The whole sequence conveys a sense of the
supernatural through the colour scheme which the titles and images both stick
to, emphasising the connotation of evil and paranormal.
This is highlighted with the use of acetate
slides and old fashioned newspapers as they both look creepy and set the
context for the film.
As shown near the end of the
sequence, the institutional film was produced by ‘NEW LINE CINEMA’ and ‘THE
SAFRAN COMPANY’. The creative director was Aaron Becker of Becker Designs, who
was in charge of the title sequence.
How
can I use these ideas in my own production?
It is evident that we
need to ensure our titles are clear and, therefore, easy to read. To do this we
must consider the background, font colour and composition/positioning.
The transitions conveyed
the paranormal genre well and as this is the genre of our production we may
want to consider experimenting with some of these.
The use of black and
white proved very effective as it created an eerie atmosphere. Although our
production will not be in complete black and white we are trying to emulate a
darkened appearance so will need to think about this related to the font
colour.
0.03-0.09 - An Alliance Films, and Im Global Presentation, of A Haunted Movies Production
0.17-0.28 - A James Wan Film
1.22-1.27 - Insidious
1.32-1.36 - Patrick Wilson
1.39-1.44 - Rose Byrne
1.46-1.50 - Line Shaye
1.52-1.57 - Ty Simpkins
2.00-2.04 - And Barbara Hershey
2.07-2.10 - Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson
2.13-2.16 - Andrew Astor, Joseph Bishara
2.19-2.23 - Casting by Annie McCarthy and Kellie Gesell
2.26-2.30 - Costume by Kristin M.Burke
2.32-2.37 - Music by Joseph Bishara
2.39-2.44 - Edited by James Wan, Kirk Morri
2.46-2.50 - Production Designer Aaron Sims
2.52-2.56 - Director of Photography John R.Leonetti ASC, David M.Brewer
2.58-3.03 - Line Producer Jeanette Volturno-Brill
3.05-3.10 - Co-Produced by John R.Leonetti, Aaron Sims
3.12-3.17 - Executive Producer Brian Kavanaugh-Jones
3.20-3.25 - Produced by Jason Blum, Steven Schneider and Oren Peli
3.27-3.31 - Written by Leigh Whannel
3.34-3.42 - Directed by James Wan
Typography
Red, bold font throughout. Links to danger, blood and horror.
'A James Wan Film' given prevalence as the font and colour change, and it is framed on a light bulb to make it stand out.
Main title 'INSIDIOUS' made up of big, red letters in a different font to the rest of the titles, this gives it prevalence among the rest of the titles. Reminiscent of the Devil's trident. Flickers like a candle. Has connotations with summoning and the dead.
Actors names are split in to two and then disappear in a puff of smoke, links to the soul leaving the body and ghosts., which are both key motifs in the film.
The names are bigger and move more than the roles, which makes them stick out more.
Most of the text moves, if it doesn't it is used to draw attention to it.
The main titles are all positioned in the centre of the screen. Actor's names are in the corners, this gives the main titles prevalence.
The titles are generally placed in a darkened or black area of the screen, this again makes them stick out, and also allows for a creepy image to have its own space in the background, which adds to the feeling of unease.
What have I learnt from this?
A slow pace in the titles is really effective in building the tension.
To give titles more effect it is wise to have little action going on in the background, so as to not distract the audience from the title.
It is important to have a separate font for the title in order to draw attention to it.
How does this help with our production?
It is clear that it is very important to put titles on a background which makes them readable, in this case, the titles were red on a black background, which made them obviously stand out.
The wisp of smoke effect as the titles disappear could be used in our titles, because the theme of the supernatural is present.
The main title for the film must stick out a lot more and have features which make it unique from the other titles.
00:14-00:15 "Sarah Wayne Collins" & "Laurie Holden"
00:16-00:17 "Norman Reedus"
00:18-00:19 "Steven Yeun"
00:20-00:21 "Lauren Cohan"
00:21-00:22 "Chandler Riggs"
00:24-00:25 "Danai Gurira"
00:27-00:28 "Executive Producer Robert Kirkman"
00:29-00:30 "Executive Producer David Alpert"
00:33-00:34 "Executive Producer Gale Anne Hurd"
00:34-00:35 "Executive Producer Glen Mazzara"
00:37-00:38 "Developed by Frank Darabont"
00:39-00:40 "Based on the Series of Graphic Novels by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard"
00:41-00:45 "THE WALKING DEAD"
Typography
All titles in the sequence use a small block like font. This makes the text easy to read.
The surnames of all people involved have been bolded.
The font is fairly uniform and formal with each letter being evenly spread apart from the previous.
All names and words in the opening have been capitalised. This is may be suggesting dominance of the characters.
All the text is relatively the same size until "THE WALKING DEAD" appears which is much larger and more dominant on the screen.
The colour of the text is a murky yellow which connotes disease and death, which are two key themes of this genre.
In terms of positioning the words are always positioned so that the words are clear on the background which goes out of focus whilst the words are being shown.
The last credit to appear is the director's name. This is because the director is considered the most important therefore should be at the end.
The credit durations are all around 1 second long. This is including the effects put on the credits and is a good time as it fits in well with the soundtrack. The opening sequence is very fast therefore having a fast duration of credits does fit in place.
What I learnt from this
From watching the sequence, it is clear to see that it is important where you place the credits in the sequence as it is vital they are readable and are suited against the background. For example in this sequence when a title appears the background is usually out of focus.
From this sequence I can see that it is important to match the text in a title sequence to the style of the visuals that accompany them.
From watching the sequence, it is clear to see that it is important where you place the credits in the sequence as it is vital they are readable and are suited against the background.
Some basic colour work is necessary as well, white text being placed over a fairly low key and dark background. This is shown very well in this opening.
Link to own production
The main aspect that we can take from this analysis of titles is that our font and placement of titles must reflect the theme of the film.
Even with very little visuals on the screen the titles do not overpower this sequence, which is a key point to take for our own opening titles.
I thought that the title of the film appearing on a black background only was very good as the audience would solely focus on the title and not anything else as there was nothing to see. I think this would be a good way to show the title of our film.
Today our group as a team reviewed our footage that was shot over the Christmas period.
After looking at the footage we have seen what we need to re shoot and what could possibly be done better and we will strive to do this during our next filming session.
We are aware that we had some issues with lighting during the latter half of the sequence so we attempt to film earlier in the day to combat this issue.
We were particularly pleased with the way our mise-en-scene appeared on screen.
It took us a long time to prepare the set and it seems to have paid off.
When working as a group we are able to listen to each others suggestions and the ideas developed and evolved.
Considering the success of this during the shoot, this coming sunday we will try to replicate the same teamwork.
We also worked on our storyboarding and planned what we are going to do over the coming weeks. We have decided that this coming Sunday we will meet at our location at 1400 hours.
We allocated tasks to every member of the group. I'm going to complete the storyboard and do the corrections to the blog. Callum and Hannah have decided to split the rest of the jobs between them.
