Documentary

Survey Monkey

Documentary Plan

Documentary Plan

Clips we will use-

• sinister 
• the possession 
• paranormal activity 

We will use titles to narrate the documentary

mind map to describe genre codes and conventions

audience will be the most responsive on questionnaire (include screenshots of questionnaire)

Brief analysing of questions from feed back- for audience expectations 

Scream Analysis

Scream Opening Analysis

The first noise the audience hear when watching the Scream opening scene is a high - pitched screech from a girl, this represents the title of the film and displays what the film is likely to be about. It shows a genre of Thriller and Horror due to the loud fearful yell. This already creates suspension and gets the audience thinking what is going to happen and why a girl is screaming. It also introduces a female victim which suggests vulnerability and innocence due to a young girl screaming. The screaming noise is being played as a background track while the audience can visually see the title of the film which flashes up in white lettering with an edgy, scary look to it to representing the genre being a Thriller/Horror. This white lettering soon turns into red lettering which runs down the page like blood. Along with the girl screaming, a phone is also ringing, this is still being played while the film title is being displayed, this links in with the film because the first scene begins with a phone ringing. The main character is introduced within 10 seconds of the film and the audience can clearly notice that the main subject of the film is a female. The effect of having a female as the victim is that it stereotypically means she is vulnerable and too weak to fight anything off. Having a male victim would mean that he could turn into a hero by saving the day instead of being effected by the villain. It is when the female picks up the ringing phone that the audience notice she is alone. This suggests vulnerability and innocence to the audience, it also gives them a large idea that something is likely to happen to this girl, especially from the previous signs and the film being a Thriller/Horror. When she picks up the phone the audience are introduced into what could potentially be the villain of the film. When the main character is on the phone we get a close up shot of her face, this allows the audience to see the characters facial expressions, and in this situation Drew Barrymore's character looks at ease and disinterested in the caller on the phone. She has a calm tone to her voice which suggests that nothing dangerous or scary is going to happen soon. The camera then zooms back out and when the phone rings again is zooms into Drew Barrymore's face to show the confusion and to increase the tension for the audience. The voice of the caller on the other end of the phone highlights that it is a male, and he sounds captivated and intrigued into the female.  The second time the phone rings is when the audience are able to clearly notice that it wasn't just a normal cold caller. Due to the fact that the caller rang back "to apologize," insinuates to the audience that there is something not normal. As the camera is panning round Drew's face, still as a close up shot, it clearly displays the background. Due to the audience clearly being able to see the location - which seems to be a large house, situated in a forest and dark outside, a typical scary location, it sets the mood for the film as spooky and mysterious. After the second call, the film then goes on to show more of the location as a long shot. The audience are then able to clearly see the big house and the outside garden area which has large trees and a swinging chair which makes a squeaky noise. The effect of these sound affects suggests to the audience that maybe a child or a young person is involved - this makes it much more frightening with the prospect of a child being involved. It can also suggest that it is a windy night, which sets the scene, or that a person has just been on or near it. Due to the character being alone in the big house, all the noises which she creates are emphasized more and made more dramatic, like when she turns the oven on. 

Mind Map On Horror

The Women In Black Analysis

The Women In Black Opening Analysis

The opening sequence of Woman in black is introduced with an extreme close up of someone pretending to fill two tea cups up, this immediately makes the audience think that the person playing with the tea set is a young girl. Over the top of this the audience hear non-diegetic music, this music is dark, eerie and mysterious the use of this sound is effective as it makes the audience feel uncomfortable and on edge as to what may happen next. After this we see another extreme close up of a scary looking doll drinking the pretend tea, the doll has a creepy looking smile with blacked out eyes the use of mise-en-scene suggests the audience that the children playing with doll may have a dark side to them. Another use of camera work is where this time there is a close up shot in which the audience see another doll but this doll is different to the other, this doll is more human looking this is effective as again the audience begin to feel vulnerable because of the naturalistic look of the doll. The following shot is a long shot of three young girls acting out a tea party with one another, from this shot the audience can tell the girls are playing in a play room we can tell this from the old fashioned Victorian styled prams along with toy baby chairs in the background, this is effective as it represents the time period of when the film was portraying.Also from this shot we see naturalistic-lighting from the sunlight shining through the window this is effective as it sets a sense of happiness from the children, it also makes the scene become more realistic this makes the audience feel again vulnerable. Shortly after this we see a medium close up shot of one of the young girls brushing another scaring looking dolls hair this could represent to the audience how the children are looking after the dolls by brushing their hair as they believe they’re realistic. We see then see a point of view shot close up shot of one of the girls pressing down on the doll this is effective as it suggests maybe the girl is pressing down on to the doll to show she is in control again it shows a more darker side of the young girl which makes it clear to the audience that the genre of this film is horror this makes the audience feel prepared for feeling uncomfortable. After this there is a two shot of two of the girls smiling and having fun this suggests the children are happy at this moment of time for the audience this builds suspense as it makes us feel as if this happiness is going to change into something bad.      Suddenly after this shot we see medium long shot of all three girls looking as if they can see someone or something from this it could be suggesting that the power the girls did have has no gone and the person or object that is distracting them from the tea party is now in control of all three girls this is interesting for the audience as it makes us want to know what this is. After this we see a continuity edit of the girls in mid turn of each other their heads look at the window this suggests to the audience perhaps the person or object the girls are watching is trying to distract them away from the tea party and now wants to show the girls something. After this we see another use of the camera this time we see camera slowly cut zooming towards the window we then see the three girls look straight at in unison, it seems as if they have been told it makes, the audience think the girls are like puppets which suggests these characters are no longer in-control. There’s another medium close up shot of one the girls drop a tea cup she was holding, we see another close up but this time of  the tea cup smashed on the floor, after this shot the audience get to see an extreme close up of a girl standing on one of the dolls heads and smashing it,both shots suggest to the audience how the children have changed from carrying about the dolls to almost giving an impression that they’re possessed by something that much that they have now neglected the dolls. The next use of camera work in the opening scene is where a tracking shot is used to show the three girls walking towards the window this is suggesting to the audience the three girls are getting told what to do by the object near the window, this camera work is effective as it makes the audience feel like the girls are being pulled like magnet by the object, with this happening a sense of imagery is created in the audience head as it makes us think of the different things this could be. Along with this the girls facial expressions are almost emotionless which is a big contrast as only a few seconds ago the girls were happy and enjoying themselves, this suggests the audience the thing possessing them could be taking away any emotion they have.

Insidious Analysis

Insidious Opening Analysis

The opening sequence does really well to establish genre through many devices. These include the typography of the titles being in a gothic style as well as being coloured red to signify blood, violence and horror. In addition to this, the non-diegetic sound in the form of background music provides an eerie feeling and thriller like atmosphere. The first of the two characters shown is the haunted child and also the rather scary elderly woman with dark make up holding a candle to make out the bold and obvious lines of her face the two dress very different showing binary opposites of good vs ebvil. This really does create a scary atmosphere and keeps the viewer wanting to watch on. Red bold font, fading in and out. Red has connotations of blood and danger common themes in a horror film adding to the suspense as to what the film is about. Continuing throughout the start with the red styled font type is also a common element to be seen at the beginning of a horror movie as it builds up a lot of the tension in the film. . The film is set at night a common stock setting of a horror genre, confirming to the viewer that the film is a thriller/horror because the time of which it is set has a scary atmosphere. The night also has connotations of the unknown which is similar to the situation of the viewer because they haven’t a clue what’s going to happen next. This also builds tension and makes the story line more intense for people watching. The non-diegetic sound continues to play as the camera pans around the house, again setting the scene for the main action in the film the effect of the non- diegetic sound gives the impression that only the audience can hear it creating a direct mode of address adding more tension. A distraught around of violins is also added to the piece and shadows appear to the viewer building up suspense of what could happen next. As the music is distaughted, it gives further suspicion because it’s not clear, as is the story line to the viewer at this point.The title is shown in big bold red font and almost glowing as if there is a fire underneath it, giving connotations of hell, ghosts and death to the viewer.

Sinister Analysis

Sinister Opening Analysis

The film starts with a black screen while fuzzy non-diegetic sounds are played. This instantly makes it mysterious and puts the audience on edge, indicating the tenseness about to come from the film. Tense environments is a common convention of horror movies. It then cuts to a rolling tape of several people hanging from a tree. They are dressed in normal clothes in an open forest which makes it seem more realistic therefore furthering the feeling of fear from the audience as it appears as though these people are generic in everyday life. The fact the film instantly begins with a murder scene, commonly found in horror films, makes the audience expect there to be brutal, violent scenes in the film, creating an anticipation of terror right from the start. As the continuous clip is playing more mysterious and eerie sound effects are played to make the basic clip seem more horrifying to the audience. The colorful clip opposes to dark tones usually found in horror films however the music makes it seem just as frightening. The mysterious sound effects tie in with the mysterious setting and the fact that no one alive is to be seen creates an unnerving enigma to the audience. The scene then moves on to a sudden crackling sound effect as the tree falls which makes it jumpy and creates suspense. The short graphic match indicates how long they have been hanging and the crackly sound effects get louder which creates a build up to them dying and the actual film itself. The title of the film 'Sinister' is then sprawled across in small, messy, white handwriting which has been edited over the clip a then fade to black edit is used again to really emphases on that tension as it is unexpected, a common element used in supernatural horrors.The fact that the scene is so simply filmed and edited makes it seem even more scary as there is the idea of the unknown. The audience are not aware of what is happening apart from people are being hanged which creates the mood of tension and fear which prepares the audience for what they are about to see in the film itself.

Focus Group Questions

Focus group questions-

1) What do you like about horror movies in general, for example, do you like the characters or settings etc and why?

2) What kinds of characters do you expect to see in a supernatural horror?

3) What do you think makes a successful supernatural horror?

4) How do you expect to feel when watching a supernatural horror?