Marc Jordan's AS Media Coursework: Decisions About My Opening Title Sequence

Below I have mentioned some decisions I had to create my opening title sequence, as well as all the conventions of horror.

Introduction

I will be creating an opening title sequence of a running time of 2 minutes. The genre I have chosen for my opening title sequence will be Horror. I chose the genre horror, as I like the fact how horror movies grab peoples attention and make them feel scared and frightened. The opening sequence will be about 2 guys that plan on playing a game, the Ouija board, which is a very spiritual game. These guys then play the game and things start to go wrong and the spirits start to take action…

Narrative Enigma

Narrative enigma will be created through the use of the Ouija board, as the audience will be able to expect that something bad is going to happen next, because it isn’t safe playing with a Ouija board as you are communicating with spirits and those spirits could end up being evil.

Genre

The genre I chose for my opening title sequence will be horror. I chose horror as it is exciting to film and I like the fact that horror movies really grab the audience’s attention by making them feel fear, terror and sort of put them in the place of the character within the movie. It also brings people nightmares out.

Target Audience

My film will be aimed at a target audience of anyone over the age of 18. As my film opening sequence contains scary video footage, disturbing effects and sounds, it may not ne suitable for viewers younger then the age of 18. It will mostly be targeted at a younger age group, between 18-30, as people in this age group can handle horrors and they really like them. It wouldn’t be targeted at a older age group, as my film will contain flashing images and special effects that may be dangerous to sensitive viewers.

Mise en Scene

Lighting

The lighting I will be using for my opening title sequence will be low-key lighting. I chose this type of lighting, as most horror films use low-key lighting to create suspense and make the film scarier. Low-key lighting also sets the tone and mood of a scene. I also thought it was important to control how much of the surrounding scene is revealed by using low-key lighting.

Candle light will be a good source of low key lighting, as you can’t really get any lower lighting then that. Candle light is also used in many horror films to show that the film is either set in a medieval period, or very long ago or it can convey a kind of scary effect as it is the main focus in the scene and the background would be very dark. It is also a natural source of light, so it will make the scene more realistic. I analysed the opening title for ‘The Others’, which in all the scene, candle light was used to convey to the audience that the film was set in a long time ago where they had no electricity and it made the scene more scary.

I want to be able to use candlelight to light up the characters faces to show their expressions like fear. It also gives a twist to the scene, as candle light also gives a romantic and warming effect, but my scene is about horror, so the audience will get a sudden fright when something bad happens in the scene when the boys are playing with the Ouija board and the evil spirits take action against them.

The colour used will be very dark to make the scene scarier and to convey death and fear to the audience.

Costumes & Make up

I was thinking about using normal/casual clothes, as in many horror films the characters where casual clothes. It also makes it seem more realistic. For example if a character in a film were wearing very bright, colourful clothes that stand out, it would make the movie too predictable.

The casual clothes that I will be using for the 2 characters in my opening title sequence will be normal trousers or jeans and a hoody. This is a very casual dress code for teenagers, so it will be realistic in my opening sequence.

There won’t be any make up used, I want the characters to look very natural and casual to make it seem more realistic. The over use of make up can make the scene that the character acts in more predictable, which is what I don’t what. I want the audience to find out what is happening in a ‘sudden moment’.

Setting

The setting I was focusing on to film my opening sequence in will be in an isolated place that has a very rough, old and dodgy look to it. It could be a old house with a long passage way in it, and has antique like and dusty furniture in it, which is a good setting used in many horror films. This setting would make the characters in the film seem vulnerable, scared and confused. Viewers would think that the building is haunted and may show that the film contains supernatural things such as ghosts, demons or the devil.

I will try and convey to the audience that the setting for my opening title sequence will contain ghostly effects, but I will make it seem realistic.

Props

I was thinking of using an Ouija board as the main prop for my opening title sequence, as the film is all about this prop. It is basically the main focus of the storyline and what is to happen next. It also conveys danger, evil spirits and the devil to the audience.

Other props that I will be using will be candles and an iPod with speakers. The candles will be used as a source of light, like low-key lighting. This makes the scene more horrific and intense as the focal point will be around the candle and the background would be very dark.

Camera shots & angles

We will be using close up shots to show the peoples expressions of fear, confusion and horror. We will use an establishing shot to show where the opening title scene will be set and what the surroundings on. There will also be a few long shots to show in more detail what the surrounding is of the two characters in that scene. Medium shots will be used to show body language and what the characters are wearing and doing. There will also be point of view (POV) shots to show what the characters are looking at, this will give us a perspective of what they are seeing and feeling. There would be an over-the-shoulder shot to see how the characters are positioned in the scene and how they are communicating to each other. Shot reverse shots will be used to show communication between the two characters, and what exactly they are talking about. A low angle shot will be used to show where the characters are positioned in the scene and what they are surrounded by.

Body Language

Medium shots will be used to show body language between characters, for example if they are nervous and frightened they may be shaking or losing control. The close ups will show the person’s expressions on their faces to show what they are feeling, for instance fear.

Sound

Non-diegetic sound will be used to make the opening title sequence more thrilling and scary. The sound could contain a piano, as many horror movies contain sounds from a piano as it conveys a sense of death to the audience. I thought of using sound from a piano, as I analysed the opening title sequence for ‘The Others’, which contained sounds from a piano and made the scene seem more intense. This will only be heard by the audience. This sound also tells the audience that it is a horror movie, as comedy movie don’t contain sound like this.

Diegetic sound such as demon sounds, ghost sounds will be used to make the scene a actual ‘Horror’ scene and it will have a big impact on the characters body language and facial expressions, as they will be frightened, because they don’t know what is going on and what is about to happen next.

There are many scary diegetic sounds in films used to make the scene more realistic in a horrifying way. Characters become scared, confused, etc. For example if a character heard a ghost like sounds, they would end up being terrified.

My Opening Scene Analysis- Step by Step

0-10sec

We will be using an establishing shot of the two characters walking on their way to an old, rough looking building. There will be a close up of the one boys hand, as he is holding the Ouija board game. There will also be medium and close up shots of the boy’s to show what they are talking about and what they are wearing. This is also when the credits start coming up, saying who directed the movie and who the actors are and what the production company and producers are.

10-20sec

There will be a long shot of the boys arriving at the old, rough looking building. Then there will be close up shots to show what the boys expressions are and what they are saying before they open door. They also dare each other to open the door, as they are scared. Then there will be a close up shot of the one boy’s hand on the door handle as he opens the door.

20-30sec

There will be an over the shoulder shot of the boy looking through the door into the building. Then a point of view shot will follow to show what the boy is seeing. Then there will be two close up shots of the boys facial expressions to show what they are saying and who is to enter the building first. Then there will be a medium shot of the two boys from the back, showing how they both walk through the door and enter the building. Then there will be a long shot to show the boys have entered the room and to show that there is nobody else around. Then there will be a close up of the boy’s faces to show that they are surprised, shocked and scared as the building is very dirty, old, rough and dodgy looking inside, like a haunted house.

30-40sec

There will be a medium of the 2 boys looking around the “haunted house” to see what there is. This is when the 2 boys decide to sit down in the middle of the room of the “haunted house” in front of the main door where they came through. There will be a medium shot of the boys sitting down and a close up shot of the boy setting up the Ouija board game on the ground. There will also be a close up of the boy lighting the candles and setting up his stereo or iPod. There will also be close up shots of the boys laughing in excitement to play the game.

40-50sec

Close up of boy turning on the music. Then the boys start to play the game. A extreme close up will show the boys hands placed on the Ouija board. The boys then start to play the game by asking questions to the spirits, as this is how the game works (spirit communication). Close up of the boys faces expressions after they have asked a question to the spirits.

50-60sec

Suddenly a song the boys where listening to on the IPod turns into a creepy demon voice. This is when the boys jump up and scream in fear. A long shot will show the boys jumping up and running trying to get out the house, but the doors are locked, there’s no way out. A long shot will show the door shutting by itself. A close up shot will show the boys facial expressions as they are screaming. This will convey to the audience how scared they are and what they are experiencing. There could also be a point of view shot to show the viewers what the boys are seeing and experiencing. This sort of puts the audience in the same place as the boys and makes them feel what it would be like to be in that situation. A medium shot will show the boys trying to open the door.

60-70sec

There will be “sudden” noises coming from behind the furniture and cupboards, which give the boys a big fright. This will be shown by a medium shot of the boys shaking and screaming..

70-80sec

There will also be a close up of a “ghost like feature” in the background, which the boys then see and become even more terrified. Another close up of the boy’ s faces will show their expressions of fear.

80-90sec

There will also be a “ghostly hand” popping out from the darkness, giving the boys another fright. An extreme close up will show the “ghostly hand”.

90-100sec

The boys are now terrified out of their minds. The start running around looking for different exists, but they find nothing. Close ups will show their facial expressions.

100-110sec

The boys suddenly hear a demon voice in the background telling them to finish the game or they will never be able to leave the house!!!.. There will a medium shot of the boys from the back looking at where the noise came from and a close up showing their facial expressions. A medium shot will show the boys discussing with each other in terror whether they should finish the game or not. They both decide to finish the game.

110-120sec

A long shot will show the boys walking back slowly to the game and a medium shot will show them sitting down again next to the game. The boy’s then start playing the game again… asking the spirits what they want….

Marc Jordan's AS Media Coursework

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Decisions About My Opening Title Sequence

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0-10sec	We will be using an establishing shot of the two characters walking on their way to an old, rough looking building. There will be a close up of the one boys hand, as he is holding the Ouija board game. There will also be medium and close up shots of the boy’s to show what they are talking about and what they are wearing. This is also when the credits start coming up, saying who directed the movie and who the actors are and what the production company and producers are.
10-20sec	There will be a long shot of the boys arriving at the old, rough looking building. Then there will be close up shots to show what the boys expressions are and what they are saying before they open door. They also dare each other to open the door, as they are scared. Then there will be a close up shot of the one boy’s hand on the door handle as he opens the door.
20-30sec	There will be an over the shoulder shot of the boy looking through the door into the building. Then a point of view shot will follow to show what the boy is seeing. Then there will be two close up shots of the boys facial expressions to show what they are saying and who is to enter the building first. Then there will be a medium shot of the two boys from the back, showing how they both walk through the door and enter the building. Then there will be a long shot to show the boys have entered the room and to show that there is nobody else around. Then there will be a close up of the boy’s faces to show that they are surprised, shocked and scared as the building is very dirty, old, rough and dodgy looking inside, like a haunted house.
30-40sec	There will be a medium of the 2 boys looking around the “haunted house” to see what there is. This is when the 2 boys decide to sit down in the middle of the room of the “haunted house” in front of the main door where they came through. There will be a medium shot of the boys sitting down and a close up shot of the boy setting up the Ouija board game on the ground. There will also be a close up of the boy lighting the candles and setting up his stereo or iPod. There will also be close up shots of the boys laughing in excitement to play the game.
40-50sec	Close up of boy turning on the music. Then the boys start to play the game. A extreme close up will show the boys hands placed on the Ouija board. The boys then start to play the game by asking questions to the spirits, as this is how the game works (spirit communication). Close up of the boys faces expressions after they have asked a question to the spirits.
50-60sec	Suddenly a song the boys where listening to on the IPod turns into a creepy demon voice. This is when the boys jump up and scream in fear. A long shot will show the boys jumping up and running trying to get out the house, but the doors are locked, there’s no way out. A long shot will show the door shutting by itself. A close up shot will show the boys facial expressions as they are screaming. This will convey to the audience how scared they are and what they are experiencing. There could also be a point of view shot to show the viewers what the boys are seeing and experiencing. This sort of puts the audience in the same place as the boys and makes them feel what it would be like to be in that situation. A medium shot will show the boys trying to open the door.
60-70sec	There will be “sudden” noises coming from behind the furniture and cupboards, which give the boys a big fright. This will be shown by a medium shot of the boys shaking and screaming..
70-80sec	There will also be a close up of a “ghost like feature” in the background, which the boys then see and become even more terrified. Another close up of the boy’ s faces will show their expressions of fear.
80-90sec	There will also be a “ghostly hand” popping out from the darkness, giving the boys another fright. An extreme close up will show the “ghostly hand”.
90-100sec	The boys are now terrified out of their minds. The start running around looking for different exists, but they find nothing. Close ups will show their facial expressions.
100-110sec	The boys suddenly hear a demon voice in the background telling them to finish the game or they will never be able to leave the house!!!.. There will a medium shot of the boys from the back looking at where the noise came from and a close up showing their facial expressions. A medium shot will show the boys discussing with each other in terror whether they should finish the game or not. They both decide to finish the game.
110-120sec	A long shot will show the boys walking back slowly to the game and a medium shot will show them sitting down again next to the game. The boy’s then start playing the game again… asking the spirits what they want….