Main Production

Target Audience

I did some research as to how the audience view the horror genre and what they think makes a good horror film. The aim is to see how we could improve our production in the future and to see how we can appeal to the audience.

I first asked multiple people the following questions.

Do you watch horror films?
If No: What is your favourite genre?
If Yes: What is the main thing you like about horror films?
Which is your favourite horror film and why?
Which is your least favourite horror film and why?
What do you think makes a good horror film?
Where do you prefer watching films? e.g. Cinema or Home
Do you prefer watching them alone or with friends?
If they watch films at home: What do you watch your films on? Do you use any services? e.g. Netflix on PS3 or Pc.


I asked a total of 28 people quick questions on if they like horror films or not, these are the results from that.

Most males like horror films as do most of the females I asked, however more females also disliked the horror genre compared to the males as shown above.

One person who I interviewed was Georgia Sharp who said she enjoyed horror films and her favourite series of films was the Chucky films. She liked the idea of a twisted doll with a sense of humour that killed people, creating an awkward situation in which the audience should be against the killer doll, but instead end up laughing at how he performs his kills.


She also talked about her least favourite film that she has seen lately called The Last Excorcism. She talked about how the film was more of a documentary with 15 minutes of actual scares, the film overall bored her and did not do a good job in retaining interest or tension.

She also believes that horror films need to be more engaging and apply more to the current audience. Varied sub-genres can also be coupled with the genre but need to be done so carefully. Creating a good balance where the sub-genre breaks up the tension during the film can make for some very effective horror moments. Georgia prefers watching horror films at home, and if she could she would use a movie rental system such as Netflix.

Her opinions on the films how ever conflict with the critical reception. The chucky series has been noted for being funny but nothing scary after the original Childs Play series, although the first Child play film did gather positive reception, scoring 63% on Rotten tomatoes. The last Exorcism has a better critical reception of 73%, being noted for using clever techniques to scare the audience. Being noted for its interesting characters.

Critical Reception and the audiences reception differ greatly, personal opinion often conflict amongst other personal opinions and sometimes with movie critics opinions. A film I could also compare to chucky that utilizes comedy within horror is American Psycho. A film about the twisted son of a wall street financer, who does a variety of terrible things to victims, without provocation. The film uses comedy to develop the characters insanity and set apart sequences, making the audience laugh at disgusting moments of the film.


To further develop on personal views Emma, Georgia and Myself talked about the horror genre and our personal favourite films. 

I also discussed films with some other friends, consisting of boys we all found watching films together was mainly for laughs, therefore we have never watched a serious horror film together, rather bad horror films to laugh at. We preferred watching horror films alone or in small groups. Usually a good horror film sets everyone up to watch other movies that don't require as much focus as a horror film does. Watching a horror film with a mixed gender group can also ensure some scares during the film.

Another thing I would like to compare horror films to is horror games. Games such as Amnesia The Dark Descent rely on the helplessness of the player who must avoid danger at all costs because they cannot fight it. If a monster or danger is encountered then the player is forced into hiding or running, films could utilise this as well. Having helpless main protagonists is the usual deal with a film, however more often then not these characters fall to the danger at hand. Using phobias such as claustrophobia the main character could be forced into a position where they must hide in a tight spot while the danger approaches and searches for them. Although the more cliché scenario this can explored further, exploiting other phobias or creating phobias, exploring multiple fears in a film will appeal fear wise to a wider audience which will in turn be a much more enjoyable film. Much like a game where lots of scares are explored, such as a mod for the pc game Half Life 2 called Nightmare House 2, which delves into many different categories of fear and phobias.

Film makers also must make sure they are not afraid to produce their film for a mature audience, as of late films have been toning down certain aspects of the movie so that the rating allows for a wider audience, this can lead to a negative reception if the plot does not suit it. 

Psycho Essay

How does Hitchcock’s Psycho construct representations of gender?

Alfred Hitchcock is a critically acclaimed Director of the horror and thriller genre, over the years from the start to end of his career, Hitchcock introduced and utilised many different techniques in film, such as using shots and prop placement to reveal information about certain characters, to make the audience of his films feel uncomfortable in a simple scene. The combination of his techniques made convincing and frightening horror movies for its time, inspiring many future directors and his films taking their place among the many true classics of cinema.

Hitchcock portrays gender roles in his films through multiple ways, shooting the scene in a specific way using the camera or by having props in the back ground. In the film Psycho, there are many examples of this. During the opening of the movie, the opening credits do not appear like a normal movie, rather they appear is a quick stabbing motion, the fast music behind them suggests that something desperate is happening while the credits go on, this is a big foreboding straight away as Marion, a character in the film is killed during the movie while being on the run, with the music that plays during the credits following here. The stabbing motion of the credits also hints at how she is killed by the same fate, as is the detective. After the credits a pan of the city fades in after the credits fade out and slowly pans to window on a building, showing that incidents like this could possibly happen anywhere. We are introduced to an intimate scene in which Marion Crane and her boyfriend Sam Loomis are together. Sam is standing over Marion who is on the bed looking up at him, possibly hinting at how Sam is a dominant male figure. However this quickly turns into a level shot, showing both as equal again since they are lovers and close to each other. Both characters are laid back and carefree, this is a good contrast point in the film, as all the other men Marion encounters have some form of dominance over her, or she has dominance over them.

After leaving, Marion heads to work and takes her place. She and her friend begin talking to each other, during this part of the scene the camera is level, even when Marion is standing initially. However while it may seem equal there are still subtle differences Hitchcock may have implemented to show the diversity between the two, even though they are equal women. Marion’s is wearing a dark colour of shirt, the shirt itself has no buttons but is tight on her neck, making her look smart, however Marion is wearing a white shirt with buttons, a few of which are undone, showing she is more laid back and possibly has more of a sex appeal than her friend. This is interesting as it compares the two women in terms of freedom as well, Marion having some buttons undone show she embraces freedom and is not afraid to show off, where as her friend is more closed and follows others accordingly, Hitchcock may have thought carefully about the use of mise-en-scene during this scene, which continues heavily throughout the movie. This is shown further later in the scene when Marion takes the chance to steal the money, if given the choice her friend would possibly not take the money. While talking her friend is also interrupted by George Lowery, the manager walking in with a client. After Mr Cassidy walks in he goes to Marion to talk to her, further emphasising her appeal, this is also a key point in the movie as currently both of them are equal again. However once he shows Marion a picture of his daughter, the camera changes to a high over the shoulder shot on Marion and a Low angle over her shoulder, the balance of power shifts after he comments on his daughter’s life saying “and she never had an unhappy day in anyone of those years…you know what I do with unhappiness? I buy it off”

He lets out the information that he is rich, Marion’s expression when he tells her is intriguing as she looks at him, almost as if she is already thinking about the money. Cassidy asks Marion if she is unhappy, foreboding the further event when she steals the very money he was going to use to buy a house. He waves the money in front of her face, showing it off, her expression does not change at all during this part of the scene. Her friend even watches on in amazement, however if she shows more emotion than Marion, it may mean Marion is trying to hide her interest. The shift in power displayed does not focus on power through strength or psychologically, however the use of money is much more effective as it can relate to the audience who would most likely want that amount of money given to them. When Cassidy finally stands up and appears next to the Lowery, the camera is equal again as money is most likely not an issue for the boss.

The scene fades to Marion at home, she looks in the direction of the camera, after panning out we realise she was looking at the money. Hitchcock uses a pondering style of music in combination with a close up of the money, which pans to her suitcase. This could be a visual way of letting the audience know visually the thought process possibly in Marion’s mind. While she gets ready Marion turns back after looking at herself in the mirror, she turns to look at the money again. The shots used for this is an interesting way of showing power, as when Marion looks at the money the shot used is a high angle, while Marion is at a normal Mid shot. This creates a power comparison between her and an inanimate object, Marion has total dominance over the money, it is all up to her to decide what to do, and whatever she wants happens. However this does not mean she will be safe, although she has power she may not necessarily keep it.

After the scene fades out Marion is now driving, she thinks about what her fiancé may say once she meets him, the scene is quiet with only the use of non-diegetic engine noises filling the scene. However while she ponders her boss and Cassidy walk by, they both nod to each other. On the first nod the camera is balanced between the two, no one has any power, however when the boss notices it is her and she notices it is him, there is a slight low angle on Lowery, giving him power. In what seemed like a carefree drive where Marion may have thought she can escape, she is now tense after being spotted; the choice of clothing from Hitchcock traps her as she is wearing a dark choking shirt, similar to her colleague at work. The ominous music continues to play as she drives away, playing through a faded cut to later on in the day when she is still driving.

Marion falls asleep after driving for a long time, when the shot fades in we see a car drive past a parked car, it then backs up behind, the audience then notices it is a police car when an officer gets out of the car. He wakes up Marion who is sleeping across the two front seats; a high angle of her is present and sticks through this scene. After waking she acts hastily and attempts to drive off, during this shot the camera cuts to close up of the officer, which looks threatening and powerful as his face takes up the whole frame, while also being seen from a lower angle from Marion’s point of view. He wears the regular officer uniform as well as large black aviators which make his face look more menacing and mysterious. During the confrontation there is also no music, this creates a tense atmosphere. Marion is also trapped inside the car, the police officer stands outside and has freedom while Marion is in a tight situation without the Officer knowing it, only possibly suspecting it. When asked for her license, the shot jump to a two shot at medium length, showing the officer is leaning on the car and is relaxed, while Marion is stiff and has a straight back, showing how different the situation is for both of them. When leaving the tense music begins to play once more as she drives away while the police car follows until she turns off the highway.

During the film Marion at multiple times gains power and dominance within a situation, but loses it quickly. Her thought process and the way she acts in situation is always nervous, asking lots of questions and persuading whoever may be questioning her to let her leave, however she is never able to do so. Marion pulls into a town; the music continues to play as Marion notices a police car in front of her. She pulls into a garage, while she looks at the number plates, promptly opening a newspaper to possible check if hers is in the newspaper. The police officer from before pulls in across the road to observe her, however Marion does not notice, this long shot of him shows that even at distance he looks menacing, as the scene is mostly light with his dark clothing, bold aviators and patterned police car contrasting with everything else. When Marion first meets the owner of the garage the camera is equal in the 2 shot, this complements what the salesmen said about treating her fair and square, in which Marion cuts in attempting to assume control, she again cuts in while he is talking further showing desperation. Again however, Marion loses grip and the power balance tips in the males favour once more, the low and high angle return, with power in the salesman’s hands as he questions her. After proving herself and asking to be excused, Marion looks behind her as she walks, showing the imposing dark figure and his car in a long shot, the bold look of him makes him look like he is pressuring her, while the sales is actually pressuring her up close, although he is wearing white colours. When she enters the ladies room we observe Marion as she begins to take out the money, the high angle shot shows how nervous she may be, looking weaker than she was outside as the pressure builds up. After paying for her new car and the police officer pulling in and exiting his car, the salesman and him start to walk after the car slowly as Marion drives away, a shout stops her as she looks back to find a man carrying a suitcase and coat, the amount of men in the shot builds up adding dominant power through numbers rather than the type of shot. All three men stand and watch her drive away with a suspicious look on their faces, even the man who brought her suitcase even though we did not see him earlier.

The sharp tense music begins to play once more as she escapes, she again wonders but this time about what the police officer and salesman may have been talking about, she shows her distress with wide open eyes, biting her lip and opening and closing her grasp on the steering wheel. She also wonders about what her boss and friend may be saying. As the shot jumps between an over the bonnet shot and a medium shot of her, the scene darkens showing time flying by while she worries. However as her mind progresses these thoughts she begins to smile when Cassidy’s voice talks about making her pay for stealing the money. This could show that she may be losing her mind; the light on her face is dim with headlights through the back window, showing that these thoughts are turning dark rather than worrying. This may also show that she is again gaining control, possibly having escaped fully. Once more her confidence is broken down; the weather rains of her parade, with such heavy rain the wind wipers cannot keep up so the windscreen is constantly blurry. As cars drive past, the scenery changes suddenly, the music also takes a deep chime; the ominous darkness is broken through as a motel sign approaches reading “The Bates Motel”.

So far men have imposed great pressure on Marion, making her nervous, act strangely and nearly give away the fact she stole forty thousand dollars, she never had much of an upper hand with each encounter, the only time she did was with the money in her bedroom, which is an inanimate object anyways. She even loses her confidence during heavy rain; however the motel she has just pulled into will create an interesting situation.

Already powerless Marion has no choice but to enter the motel, she observes a figure of a woman walk past a window in the house next to the motel, after honking her horn a man runs down and lets her into the motel. After righting a fake name down using her boyfriend’s last name, the man picks a key, he moves his hand from 3 to 1, possibly signifying and a countdown as foreboding to what will be happening later, also possibly showing how he is planning something in advance. After choosing the key the camera is at a lower angle when facing Marion and higher when facing the man, showing that Marion has power at this present time once more as she is successfully avoiding any nervous contact, staying calm. As he shows her the room, he loses his words when he comes to the bathroom, possibly hinting at a previous event that may have happened that he does not want to mention. The man reveals his name as Norman Bates, when he asks her to have dinner with him; the camera is at equal height with a close up of both their heads. So far Marion has kept her cool and seems to look comfortable, ironic as she is in far more danger than any of her previous encounters without her or the audience knowing it. The same slow though process music from before she started driving returns as she attempts to hide the money. After hiding it in a newspaper she hears Norman and his mother arguing, this vocal dispute between and male and female shows the dominance Norman’s mother has over him, disallowing him to let Marion in to the house.

After he returns with food, Marion suggest eating the food, in a confident matter that she is under control, however Norman tips her in his favour, asking her to dine in the office instead, luring her in. He then suggests the parlour, after they walk in and Bates turns on the light, Marion looks around at the various birds, of which is an owl and raven. These two birds in nature are prey, where the owl usually focuses on small mammals such as rats, mice and rabbits and the raven’s diet consists of a insects, fruits and nuts, these two birds can show the diversity of prey Norman goes after, although the prey is usually if not always small, however this assumption is not completely true, as he kills both a female and a male, showing his dominance on someone less stronger than him, but also being able to hold his own against something big, similar to the owl which can avoid danger and even bring down larger prey through different means. Norman commands Marion to sit down, she follows thinking it is safe. He also talks about stuffing animals for a hobby; he talks about how he thinks birds look good stuff because they are “passive”. Although ironic when compared to what he does later, this could be a signal for his normal self being passive and his alter-ego of his mother being aggressive. During this scene the camera focuses more on both characters, Norman bates however has a slight low angle as at the moment he has the most power as Marion eats, however Marion is not powerless yet, the lack of a high angle shot suggests this. Norman asks about Marion’s life, asking if she has ever had an empty moment in her life, she mentions wanting a “private island” too which Norman asks what she is running away from> Marion becomes nervous as Bates begins to talk about how he thinks everyone’s life is like their own private traps, interestingly enough, nearer the end of this conversation Marion begins to feel for him, at which point the camera changes. Hitchcock chose a low angle shot of Bates from the other side, showing the owl in the background clearly, whereas during all that time she only had small insignificant birds perched in view on the window sill. The significance of the owl being in the shot shows Norman moving in, his power over Marion is slowly growing without her knowing, this is interesting as before the power over her was related to her money, now the power is growing through the use of feelings. After Marion comments on Norman’s mother, suggesting she go to a care home he snaps, when he talks the camera is close up, showing his expressions clearly, this emotion can also be linked later on to when he kills Marion by stabbing her as the alter-ego of his mother, furthermore the bird behind him has a sharp beak, possibly hinting at the sharp encounter also. Further irony is added when Norman says his mother is as harmless as one of the stuffed birds. However it seems that Norman without meaning to have also turned Marion around, not only defeating her confidence wise but also her original plans, she now wants to return to phoenix and correct her mistake. However in this shot there is the Raven in the background with its beak hovering above her shoulder, looking as if it is about to strike, like Bates will.

Norman Bates has his own conflict between genders within himself; he and his alter ego in whom he is his mother are constantly fighting, taking power over one another at times in the movie. He takes the guise of his mother when he kills Marion; however it appears “she” kicks in after Marion leaves, as “she” immediately checks the book for Marion’s name and then spy’s on her, returning to the house to change before killing Marion. In the shower scene Marion seems carefree, she showers with a smile on her face enjoying the water, and however Hitchcock places us in an awkward situation where we are voyeuristically watching her shower, however at one crucial point, when the shadow of the killer Alter ego “Mama Bates” approaches, the camera is still equal, this could represent the equality of a “woman” killing a woman, as if a man killed her she would have been completely helpless, because it is a “woman” there may be a hint at how she could have prevented it, as Norman or Mama Bates seems quite fragile and weak. Marion is reduced to nothingness is a short space of time, reaching for help from the audience, attempting to signal for a non-existent saviour, however it does not help. This is where she is weakest but oddly she is killed by a woman, the audience however only find this out at the end.

Overall the struggle for power between genders is quite clear throughout the film; men always have the upper hand in the end even when a woman seems to be leading. However it was not only physical gender conflicts that were present, the psychological warfare in Normans mind also presents a strong comparison. However we could say that a woman does have the upper hand, even though that “woman” is really a man who has lost his mind, while the real woman sits dead in a chair. Hitchcock uses the conflicts to set a basis for the film and carry out the constant struggle females face within the horror genre, only recently have women started to become the heroes and saviours in the horror and thriller genre, even then they appear weak at certain points aswell.

Evaluation

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The project of Mother of pearl was an interesting take on the conventions of horror, early on when we brainstormed ideas for the opening I found that we were following the conventions of horror, we particularly focused on Vampire involvement or the idea of a hidden monstrosity killing/taunting a victim. However when we decided on mother of pearl we found we took a generic horror setting of a long gone resident of a house coming back to haunt the new resident and made it not follow the same conventions, while the base plot did follow the done and dusted idea. The main setting of the opening follows some but not all of Propp’s narrative functions, in the film Emma is the victim of the antagonist Pearl, who captures Emma without her even being aware of the situation fully. Whereas Catherine who is under the control of Pearl takes Emma’s life converting her into a minion. The twist we placed on this was the setting of the opening, which takes place in a fairly modern, homely house, the reason why we chose this location was due to how relatable the setting would be to the audience, the familiarity of a cosy living room with a large HD TV can reach out effectively to place a scare on the watcher, perhaps adding the psychological effect that not even your own house is safe. I found this to be a striking resemblance to a number of horror films, for example Nightmare on Elm street had the same profound effect on its audience, although the villain Freddy Krueger only terrorised and killed in his dreams, the fact that it was happening in a familiar setting on a normal house on a street, albeit the house had a history, as did the house Emma is in.

 The Empathetic understanding is further conveyed through Emma’s action, which nearly everyone has gone through once in their lives, which is waking up from a nightmare in the morning, however instead of Emma cowering in her room and then being attacked, she gets up and goes downstairs without hesitation, which could lead the audience to questioning why. The combination of Eerie music, one track being Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with a more demonic twist, as well as a running track for when Emma is walking downstairs adds to the typical convention of horror, where the use of off key music creates a sense of uncertainty among the audience. Other typical convention followed included the classic “screamer scare” in which Catherine’s face Flashes on screen close up accompanied by a loud noise, the scene overall demoralizes the audience, startling them and making them feel nervous about something similar happening again, however if nothing does happen they will still clutch onto that feeling. Little children have been used as a scare tactic for decades, Pearl is comparable to Samara from the ring, in which she is in a modern appliance, being a TV, however the main difference is instead of making physical contact she has others do her bidding, which could make for an effective psychological effect on the audience as they may feel uneasy when returning home and turning on the TV to be faced with static. We also included many little details utilising Mise En Scene, such as the colours in the costumes and doll. Green being the colour of Balance and Life, ironic as Emma who Is wearing a green shirt loses control over her life, as well as the doll which is wearing a green dress, used as a metaphor for being a play thing controlled by someone.  Other minor details such as the tin the doll is atop reads “The age of innocence” which conveys as a dark irony as Pearl is clearly not innocent after capturing Emma through violent means.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In the project Emma plays a regular teenager, which immediately relates to the target audience of teenagers aged over 15, the settings of a cosy home with modern technology, teddy bears in her room particularly targets female teenagers, although Emma is in power, without knowing she is soon to be felled could hit hard at this specific group, having the feeling of being safe in your own house can demoralize the target audience effectively.  Emma does not live in an exceedingly large house however, so she represents the middle/working class which is the main percentage of the population, however this may not affect how effective the scare factor is for those who are upper class. Being a laid back teenager also familiarises her with the modern audience and creates a character that likeable and the audience can feel sympathy for. The laid back nature comes from the rough morning hair and not dressed to impress attire put on, Emma is in no hurry to look good and treats the early morning slowly. The old feeling of the house contributes to an older audience who may be able to relate to how houses used to be designed, utilising stone for example as Emma’s TV in stationed on a stone platform, this contrast of old and new adds more to relate to as a lot of people still have parts of a house that’s been around for a long time, whether that may be a fire place or set piece, the old addition relates to audiences even further.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

We came to a conclusion that Columbia TriStar pictures would be a good media institution to distribute the film due to the success of certain horror film distributed under them. One of these films Silent Hill also follows a girl whose innocence is not completely true, other notable successful films that won awards or were received positively included; Fright Night, The Grudge and Phantom of the opera. Although some films under the company did receive negative reviews from critics, they still grossed high revenues, although impressing a critic is hard in this day and age. We feel Mother of Pearl would fit well under the distribution company.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Our audience would mostly consist of teenagers ages 15 Years or older this is due partially to the relatable aspect of the film, but also largely due to how teenagers live their lives. Often groups of teenagers use the cinema as a means of social gathering for a day out or get together, with lots of free time they would be attracted to watching a horror film together for thrills. Young adults and an older audience can also watch and relate but as closely as a teenager. Teenagers also spread things they like on the internet and by word of mouth, returning to school the next day after a potentially hard to sleep through night after watching a scary movie, and then telling everyone about the film is the best type of advertisement, as well as sites like Facebook, Twitter and even YouTube if they make reviews for fun.

How did you attract/address your audience?

We addressed the audience through our main character to relates to the audience heavily, possessing a computer, make up, a big TV with plenty of DVDS and a Nintendo Wii, which creates and interest in the character as she fits in with the target audience perfectly. The use of other little things such as the nursery rhyme adds a possible sense of nostalgia which conveys security of when the target audience was younger and heard that rhyme, and then smashing it and creating a lost hope through the demonic soundings instead of the soft chimes they would have used to hear.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Before the start of this project I was already familiar with the basics of editing, such as making cuts, lengthening and shortening clips, adding effects and adding sound. However this was on Sony Vegas and a program called Camtasia. During the project I learnt a bit about Final Cut Express which I found useful, as sometimes in the working world you need to work with a different set of tools than you’re used to. As a result learning about another program on another platform (that platform being Mac) is adding to my experience. I feel however now I am confident with the true basics of editing and ready to venture into different aspects of film editing, such as more in-depth effects editing such as the use of green screen and adding things to a scene artificially. The one thing I did not do much of was colour correction; however the film looks fine without it. I also got to use a good camera to film; I changed certain settings such as the shutter count to produce a smoother video, and then used various settings to brighten the scene up as a result of the higher shutter count.

Looking back at your preliminary task what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Our preliminary was shot with a laid back attitude, we managed time a bit but not too much, I did all the editing and showed the results to the rest of my group to get feedback and used minor editing. In our main project we improved vastly over everything, we located when we had free periods and time we could edit together in the Mac room, as well as shot the entire project in one day at Emma’s house. We took more care in editing together, we elaborated over plans and ideas for when we were piecing together the opening, any ideas that did not sound to good were still tried out anyways to see if they looked good, we provided constructive criticism to each other about what we liked and did not like which helped a lot. The planning also went much better due to the amount of time we had over the preliminary task, we drew up multiple story boards and brainstormed multiple ideas before coming to a conclusion to our final idea. The group also came up with good ideas in short amounts of time, the combined quick thinking and time management alone added a great deal to the production, spending less time discussing plans and more time developing. There were still problems like with the preliminary where we noticed that certain footage was not good enough, however similar to the preliminary we used editing to get around this, such as merging clips together to erase a certain bit, patching sound together and using raw footage from the TV advert instead of the footage of the TV. We also used practical effects this time, such as the DVDs being pulled off the rack when Emma is blown over and the glass breaking (under a safe environment!) We also used make up this time around, and fake blood, however we were also going to use Red contacts, but we did not manage time for Emma and Catherine to manage putting them in, as they were not used to the feeling and motion of putting contacts in.

Overall I am very happy with the result, I learned new things and how to manage my time properly when shooting, I also learned researching other films can give you good ideas and also give you a good bracket to aim for, even though we were only armed with a HD camera and some make up.

Deciding on our production companies name

When discussing of what to call our selves, Gerogia noticed that all of our first name initals made the word Cage, which we felt could be a fitting name for the company. Resulting in Cage Productions.

We were going to see if a flash version that looked better could be made, I did ask my freind Ryan to create a logo, however we thought the powerpoint version looked effective enough and was done, where as the flash version needed attention and time to get right, which we did not want to focus on to much.

After filming

Post-production we returned to school and began discussing how the editing process will go and other tasks that needed to be started. The following are those tasks;

• Creating sound and choosing whether we wanted to use someones else's music or create/use our own piece.
• Create the Title opening and Production company logo

We began editing the following week, after a bit of fumbling with the Macs we managed to find a way to work on them well, Me and Georgia began editing a rough idea of what we want, while Emma and Catherine started work on the Company logo. The company name was decided to be Cage productions (created from the first initial from everyone's name), and our film Mother of Pearl in earlier lessons prior to filming.

We used the school macs to edit our film, we originally were going to meet up and do it my house, but we decided it would be better to do it in school and get it done before Christmas definitely.

 We roughly made our film, only using jump cuts and small effects, exploring Final cut express and thinking about the use of sound.

Meanwhile Emma and Catherine began and finished designing our Company Logo on PowerPoint, we are currently using the PowerPoint version (recorded using screen recording software), however I asked a friend to create a version in flash, but needs some work adding a gradient and that looks nice.

We also decided on the title screen font today.

Filming

A few weeks back, our group began and finished filming our main project. We met up at Emma's house during the afternoon and began to test shots and walk around the set. Surely enough after we had decided on the main work flow and if the camera angles and shots we picked worked or not (making changes where applicable), We began filming the main film, we worked mostly in order of how the piece goes, the only part that was different was the outside shot of Emma opening a window, which he had to do because night time was kicking in.

As well as filming I took a sample sound of Emma making distressed groaning noises with an external microphone to add later. The filming worked quite well, however a few things did did not go according to plan.

Firstly the red contact lens's we bought did not get used due to lack of practice putting contacts in, Catherine and Emma both found it difficult, and the lens's dried up, one lens was stuck in the small bottle they came in. We could have avoided this by using other contact lens's to practice before hand, so that both Emma and Catherine were confident before we filmed.

Secondly towards the end of the project we were starting to run short on time, after working out problems with the TV which showed the Play/Pause symbol whenever we stopped it, the camera ran out of battery, luckily I brought the old camera we used for the preliminary, which didn't look as good but unexpectedly added an interesting effect with it's increased level of noise in the footage. Some ideas as a result were lost, however we worked around it just fine and hopefully will produce a convincing-enough horror opening.

Below are photos and videos pre-production.

 The red contacts we bought to use, unfortunately they were fiddly and we didn't make sure Catherine and Emma were comfortable putting them in before hand.

 Emma by default had a big bear in her room in her bed, we thought it worked well with showing the audience how innocent Emma is.

 Georgia talking about certain ideas and recording them, behind her is a large wall stencil which we avoided showing.

 We looked at certain teddy bears and stuffed animals to further show the innocence of Emma

 Same as above

 We also looked at possibly including the little statues and the friend photo.

 We added small stuffed animals on to the big bear, him hugging them show how they are protected, yet Emma is vulnerable

 We tested out different lighting ideas and discussed how we want to do our shots

We payed attention to detail, trying to make sure there were no continuity errors.

 The free fake blood from my families shop proved to look more effective than we originally thought it would.

Catherine also took some photos behind the scenes.