Case Study

 INSIDIOUS

History/ Target audience

 Director James Wan portrayed in this film a family trying to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose son in the realm called The Further for the audience of teens and adults, PG-13. It is based off ideas from James Wan and Leigh Whannell.

Production

This film was produced by Jason Blum, Steven Schneider, and Oren Peli. Blumhouse Productions, the production company, is mainly known for producing horror films such as this one. Insidious(2010) had the budget of $1.5 million, a large enough budget for filming to be done in 3 weeks. 

Distribution

Insidious was distributed by FilmDistrict in the United States and Sony Pictures Releasing International, internationally. The movie was released theatrically on April 1, 2011 after the announcement made for it's release on December 29, 2010 due to Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions picked up the U.S distribution rights to the film and worldwide distribution rights to the film after it's world premier at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 14, 2010. Besides being in theaters, Insidious was released on Blue-ray.

Marketing

For the advertisement of Insidious, the first promotional clip was released on September 14, 2010. During the following December, M Global (production company) released an image and sales poster. Then On December 22, 2001, FilmDistrict released the film's first teaser trailer. No more than a month later, the theatrical trailer was made available online via Blastr. 

Cross-media convergence and synergy

The film has an introduction where the audience gets a flashback indicating that there was a series of events that happened for the movie to take place. The flashback doesn't leave the audience questioning what caused the chain of events to take place.

Production, Distribution, and Exhibition

 Production, Distribution, 

and Exhibition

Production

• For a film to being production, it is important for investors to provide the necessary funding. The box office success is never guaranteed so investors try to reduce the risk of  losing their money by being involved in important decisions. 
• Questions will be asked by investors such as does it offer easy selling points, is the film's story line similar to other films that have made money recently, and are there any obvious marketing spin offs to give added publicity and a few others.
• A film has to be "green-lit" before a director can start filming. The term "green-lit" means that the funding has been made available by the investor. At this stage, a project will have the key elements of a project: principle cast, director, cinematography, screenplay. It's the director's job to bring all of these elements together.

Distribution

• At the start to plan a marketing campaign, the film distributor will have to decide how it will present a film to a potential audience. The distributor needs to decide what differentiates this film apart from others that are released. They look for something called a USP - unique selling point. 
• For example, if the distributor is managing an action film, they would need to look for components of the film that sets it aside from other films in the genre.

Exhibition

• The release of a film marks the final stage of part one of a film's journey from idea to audience, After the theater release, the film will then be accessible by several different formats.  Each of the "exhibitions" offer the opportunity of profit generation.

 Research on Horror Films

For my portfolio project, I will be doing a film opening with a horror/thriller genre. I was assigned to make a comparison chart with my group mates about other films in the genre. I was then asked to research my genre.

Some visual components for some horror movies would be underexposure, mirrors and reflections, tight framing, and subliminal imagery. Exposure over all is important because it can set the mood. Underexposure accentuates shadows, captures a mysterious scene, gives an overwhelming sense of dread, and many more other things. It's one of the ways a filmmaker can use to play with the audience's sense of what is caught in the frame, it can hide things from you that the directors don't want you to see until the appropriate time. Mirrors and reflections are used in connotations with superior techniques by illustrating both reality and the duality of the characters. A way to survive in a horror movie is to not look in the mirror because as stated previously, there is a connotative purpose behind mirrors and things that reflect in movies such a horror. They are a tool used to illuminate and visualize depth. But in this genre, they are utilized as a tension builder, drawing into a good jump scare, or by subverting this all too familiar tactic. Tight framing is used to draw attention to one specific idea. Tight framing can also be used to entice the audience to a variety if concepts around the protagonist. Subliminal imagery is to make you feel something you aren't used to. These subliminal images are meant to get a feel for the audience is a sense and to makes those who end up seeing them viscerally ill.

Horror films usually take place in cabins, dorms, amusement parks, forests, cemeteries, and abandoned/old buildings. Of course there are occasionally other settings but these few are the most frequent. 9 times out of 10, they are shot at night. 

The usual target for the films of this genre are teens to adults within the ages 15-24. These films often attract a slightly younger audience. They tend to intertwine with thrillers in a way that viewers seek out by diving into a world that isn't their own. Making a film based on what has high views and get good ratings would draw attention to your movie when creating a film for your target audience. 

Fonts for this genre may range from something simple and elegant to bold and dramatic. The size is moderately large. They commonly come in colors such as red, white, off white, and yellow. Sometimes the letters gave blood spatter. The letters are almost always uppercase.

There are different types of stereotypes in horror. The dumb blonde, the bad boy/girl, the non-believer, the scholar, the cop, and the killer. There is occasionally black people who die first, if there is no black person, it's usually the dumb blonde.

Sources

https://vocal.media/horror/techniques-horror-movies-use-to-scare-you

https://blog.123rf.com/6-settings-horror-movies/

Editing Review

Editing Software Review

I have selected 3 editing software to review. the 3 software's I chose were clipchamp.com, openshot.org, and vimeo.com.  I am evaluating these websites with a criteria to follow.

Comparisons and Contrasts

Requirements:

Accessible from anywhere(web based):  Clipchamp.com, Vimeo.com

Ability to multiply tacks (both audio and video): Clipchamp.com, Openshot.com

Ability to strip or mute audio and natural sounds from video: Clipchamp.com, Vimeo.com, Openshot.com

Ability to collaborate with other users: Clipchamp.com, Vimeo.com

Evaluation:

The software app I am going to use in the future is Clipchamp.com. I would use clipchamp because it fits all the requirements. The website is also very easy to use and I can access it from anywhere. I can collaborate with my classmate without having to worry about it not getting done right because I can simply fix it myself.

Research on Film Openings

•  The key elements/features of film openings are establishing setting, mise-en-scene, character placement, representing genre, and cinematography. Establishing setting means to give the audience an insight on where the film is set and to draw them in. Establishing setting may sometimes give indications into the plot and the narrative in which the story is told. The setting could be determined with an establishing shot which can provide the audience context about the character along with more details about the film. Mise-en-scene is a French term that translates to "place on stage". This is very important because everything that is in frame for a scene is there for a reason and is used from representing emotion and setting the mood of the scene and/or film. From the audience's outlook, we get a genuine sense and feel for the film. The things caught in the frame, such as costumes and props, can tell what time period the film takes place or the beginning of things that are about to take place. Mise-en-scene is one of the most important factors of the film that tempt us to watch the films. Character placement is important because it helps in the development of the scene. The distance between two characters can help establish their relationship to one another. Do they stand shoulder to shoulder or do they stand on opposite sides of the room from each other? The placement can tell a lot about the characters without them even having to converse. Representing genre is simple but the execution can be complicated. You have to establish the genre in a way that won't reveal too much in the opening scene so the audience know what they are about to watch. With the use of genre conventions, there will be suggestions of the narrative and story line and get a perception of what will come further along in the film. As an audience, we decide what type of movie we want to watch, so if the opening isn't giving us what we need, we won't be interested in it anymore as as much as before. Cinematography is the way you present footage, it's just as important as the content. The visual appearance is important when creating the opening scene. When the opening is aesthetically pleasing, we as an audience will become influenced into the film due to the fact that it meets our needs. 

• The purpose and reasoning for film openings are to convey a powerful expression of motion graphics that serve the purpose to prelude to the movie. Opening sequences engage they audience by dropping hints about what is about to start whether it be a movie, TV show, or an animation. A primary function of a title sequence is to set the tone of what you are about to watch. The effectiveness of title sequences are engaging and exciting the audience by indicating some of the topics, themes, and in some cases, the challenges the characters may possibly be facing. The manifest is to build anticipation, suspense, while sometimes revealing some of the traits the main character has and potentially setting the stage with questions that will be answered later on in the plot and movie. 

• The similarities in the opening sequences (conventions) irrespective of the genre.

Compare/Contrast conventions by genre

Visual Elements: A common setting in horror, drama, and comedy films are haunted/abandoned house. Horror movies use low-key and dim lighting, dramas use side lighting. Dramas, comedies, and horror use medium shots, close up shots, establishing shots, and long shots in their opening scenes. 

Character development: Character times common in both horrors and dramas are the protagonist and the antagonist.

Plot Introduction: Plots for horror and dramas movies are typically introduced by flashbacks and flash forwards while comedies are opened by teasers. 

Representation: In both drama and horror, there are evident stereotypes that are sometimes displayed in the opening scene of these films.

3 Favorite Film Openings

Matilda

Summary

Matilda Wormwood is a gifted girl with crude and distant parents. Matilda loves to read and always wanted to go to school. Her father, Harry Wormwood, sells a car to a powerhouse woman, Agatha Trunchbull, who happens to be the principal of a school near by. They make some sort of deal. Harry informs the young girl that she is starting school soon and is ecstatic about it. Do to Matlida reading at the library so frequently before she started school, she knows a lot for her age. On her adventures, Matilda discovers she has telekinetic powers and puts them to good use. She scares away the principal. Ms. Honey Matilda's teacher, walks her home where they find out the Wormwoods are moving to Guam. Matilda takes adoption papers out her school bag so Ms.Honey could be her mother. Her mother and father, Harry and Zinina, sign and get in the car with their son Micheal and drive off. Matilda and her new mother live happily together.

Time stamp

7:16

Summary for opening to plot

The opening shows how from such a young age that Matilda can hold her own and take care of herself without the help of her parents or older brother. It also shows that as Matilda gets older, her love for books never faded.

Purpose

The purpose of this movie opening was to show how Matilda's parents never liked her since she wars born. It then travels to how Matilda would take care of herself. And it would also show how Matilda grew up loving books.

https://youtu.be/erKQ1afibKM

The Sound of Music

Summary

Maria is a postulant at an Austrian abbey who then becomes the governess for a widowed naval captain who has seven children. Maria and the von Trapp children form a bond, the governess teaches them how to sing, the von Trapp children's father, Captain von Trapp plans to marry Baroness Elsa Schraeder. The children do not wish have the baroness as their step mother. Maria realizes that she has feelings for the captain and the baroness notices quickly and scares away the governess back to the abbey. The captain finally realizes his love for the Fraulein but it was too late. The children go to the abbey but Maria has been locked into her room for days and not talking to anyone. With the help of the Reverend Mother, Maria decides to go back to the von Trapps. She goes back and marries the captain. The Nazis force Georg (Captain von Trapp) to join their naval service but he doesn't agree. He and the family prepare to run away to avoid this. They get caught and lie saying that they were trying to preform at the Salzburg Festival. After they preform, they sneak out and run to the abbey once they find out that the Nazis are searching for them. They hide out in the abbey and escape into the mountains where the coast is clear.

Time Stamp

5:00

Summary for opening to plot

The opening shows how Maria loves to sing and in the movie, she teaches the children how to sing and the family gains something off of it.

Purpose

The purpose of this movie opening was to show Maria's love for singing and to give an idea of the setting for the movie. It then ties into how Maria is late and always forgetful and gets in trouble at the abbey.

https://youtu.be/nhYL1ouQG-E

https://youtu.be/AePRD1Ud3Lw

Five Feet Apart

A 17 year old girl spent majority of her life in the hospital due to cystic fibrosis. In her time at the hospital, she meets this boy who also has the condition. They fall in love through strict restrictions and keep the required distance from each other.

Time stamp

0:34-1:33

Summary for opening to plot

In the opening scene, we see clips of numerous people living the lives they do and voice over from Stella discussing the importance of human touch. She talks about how you don't realize how important touch is until you can't have it. It connects to the plot because in the opening because the voice over she says that two people with cystic fibrosis can't come in close contact with each other. 

Purpose

The purpose of this film opening is to give the viewer an insight on Stella's life.

https://youtu.be/El4zdyBoXQw

Comparison/contrast of the films

Visual elements

In Matilda, The Sound of Music, and Five Feet Apart the cinematography used in the films are long shots, medium shots, close up shots, and extreme long shots. The Sound of Music and Matilda use a lot of natural light, panning, cutting on action, occasional low key lighting and a lot of scenes are outside. Five Feet Apart also uses high key lighting but more frequently and the setting is a hospital.

Auditory elements

Five Feet Apart and Matilda uses voice overs and dialogue but the dialogue in Matilda is from a person who isn't named in the film while in Five Feet Apart, Stella does the voice overs. The Sound of Music uses dialogue but no voice overs but instead has background noises like birds chirping, rain falling, the echo of the house, and the slamming of things. 

Character

In Matilda, character of importance are: Matilda, her parents, her teacher, and the principal. But in the Sound of Music and Five Feet Apart, there are many characters introduced and they all have significance in the stories but the characters with the most importance are Stella and her lover.

Representation

In Five Feet Apart, the sickness puts limits on thing Stella can do. But in Matilda, her powers allow her to do things you can only imagine.

Types of Movies/Movie Genre

Topic Introduction

Genre is category or classification of music, art, literature, or film. With genre being made up of many different components, they help the viewers understand the kind or type of film they are watching. The components mentioned consist of story, plot, situations, locations, themes, values, and characters. Some different examples of genres are horror, young adult, comedy, and science fiction (sci-fi).

Background Research

Musicals is a genre where song are intertwined into a narrative and sometimes includes dancing. The songs in musicals usually advance the plot or develops the characters. In the 1960's, films based on stage musicals continued to be critical and box-office successes. Back then, musicals contained almost no recorded dialogue but they had several songs. Now, musicals have the power to have recorded dialogue with songs. Musicals make a large impact on society. 

Content Application

For a recent class project, we were asked to pick a genre, evaluate the genre we picked, and to place what we learned into a PowerPoint and summarize the information on a poster. The genre I chose to evaluate is horror. Horror is a genre of film or television whose purpose is to create feelings of fear, dread, disgust, and/or terror in the audience. The plot genre incorporates violence and gore; portrays the worst nightmares. Types of characters in this genre: the killer, the bad girl/boy, the blonde, the scholar, the cop, and skeptic. These characters play an important role in this genre because they build the plot. Some techniques used in this genre are jump scares, tight framing, mirroring & reflecting, spotlighting and lighting tech. Going into lighting tech, horror uses dark, underexposed lighting with lots of shadows. Movie posters and book covers usually have red, black, and white lighting with contrasts and shadows along with either the main character(s), the antagonist(may be in background art or shadow), or the setting of where the story will take place. 

  

Reflection

My reflection on types of movies/movie genres is that there are many components of genre. The components of genre help the audience understand what they are being shown. In horror, it has a lot of important parts to make it truly fit into the genre. 

References/Sources

www.vox.com