Final Piece- LOCKED

Overall, I am very satisfied with our AS Media Studies short film- the experience was not only jam packed with learning new things, but it was also a lot of fun to film!

Questionnaire: Feedback

Questionnaire

Name:

Age:

 

1)   What is your favourite movie genre?

2)   How do you watch films? (Cinema? Netflix? Sky+?)

3)   What is your favourite film?

4)   What do you like most about your favourite film?

5)   What do you think psychological horror films should involve?

6)   How would you feel if you were the main character of our film plot?

Feedback:

 Alisha Mak

16

1) I like action and superhero movies.

2) I go to the cinema or rent DVDs from my local library

3) My favourite film is...umm... I don't have one! I guess the Avengers is pretty good.

4) The fight scenes and the characters

5) I don't watch psychological horror films, but I guess they should involve scenarios that are terrifyingly close to real life situations

6) If I was your character, I would try and do things that weren't in my dream to prevent getting murdered. For example, if I dreamt I went to the library to hide, instead I would go somewhere else.

Questionnaire 

Name: Hannah Woollaston 

 Age: 17 

1) What is your favourite movie genre? 

Comedy and action adventure 

2) How do you watch films? (Cinema? Netflix? Sky+?) 

Cinema and freeview 

3) What is your favourite film? 

Kingsman 

4) What do you like most about your favourite film? 

 It was funny but was also overall a good story and the charcters were believable and you felt what they felt as the actors were good. I also like the fact that the story developed at an approptiate pace, it didn’t skip parts and made it confusing, but it didn’t spend too long on something that really could have happened/been explained in 5 minutes 

5) What do you think psychological horror films should involve? 

I don’t know very much about psychological horror films but it should be believable, as it isn’t going to scare them is its ridiculously unrealistic (and may even be funny). I think it should also be scary, but not by jump scares, maybe creepy or strange (as I know of a film called ‘the one hour photograph’ where a photo developer has been developing this family’s photos for a long time, and has got to know the mother and the son quite well, but he keeps copies for himself. I’ve never seen it though, but perhaps it is scary as it could actually happen and without someone knowing) 

6) How would you feel if you were the main character of our film plot? 

I would feel scared and regret staying to study late when hearing the suspicious things. But then when I wake up I would feel relieved that I was still alive (as all the studying didn’t go to waste!) and want to exit the school as soon as possible. But then when I start hearing suspicious things just like the dream I would be confused and feel a sense of déjà vu that the situation is actually happening (and maybe a sense of the supernatural having been able to foresee what was going to happen) and probably then regret knowing I am going to be killed and that my last moments were spent in school instead of seeing family or friends. I’m not too sure, but also feel sorry for whover discovers my body the following morning (assuming it doesn’t take place on a Friday evening)

Planning Our Own Opening Sequence

This screen-grab was taken from our group blog. This is only the storyboard, and not a script, due to the fact that there is no real dialogue our opening sequence when we planned the opening sequence. We added in a voiceover at short notice.

The Voiceover's dialogue:

The voiceover was all done by the main actor of our short film, because it is a flashback of her memory, therefore it is in her point of view.

(The very beginning, when we are first shown her face):

"February 13th. it was Friday after school. I was studying English in an empty science room, just because they're always quiet. I didn't realise how late it was. It all started with a knock."

(Later one, when she turns around after running out of the building"):

"Someone was defiantly following me."

(Very last scene):

"I thought I was dead. But that was just the beginning."

The Butterfly Effect Opening Sequence

Opening Sequences
Sequence 1: The Butterfly Effect Opening Sequence

How is genre introduced? 
The non-diegetic background music, more than anything else, represents the genre.  However, the music does conotate with the text, even though the opening sequence is just credits. The text does somehow indicate part of the genre.

0:00 - 0:07; It tells us who the producers of the film are. The text flickers, which gives the sense that the motive isn't clear. As we find out, the flickering is iconic because it gives us an insight of the main character's main problem- He finds it difficult to remember thing, so his thoughts are always flickering about, and therefore aren't clear. Therefore, the opening sequence is representative of the main character.
The music is also very dramatic, and it gets creepy once we get to the notepad part of the credits. The text creates enigma because the first piece of text you see on the notepad is "how do i fix it?!" and "you never lost me." This will make the audience ask questions, which will be answered, eventually, in the film.

0:08 - 0:13; We find out that this is an Ashton Kutcher movie. The music stays the same, giving it the same feel as before.

0:13 - 0:18; The music drastically changes-less dramatic more creepy! The pace of the text accelerates, as well as starting to flicker (which, we said before, is using iconography and representation of the main character's mental state.)

0:19 - 0:23; A new transition is used after we get introduced to "Amy Smart & Melora Walters"- they fizz out. (This is also representative because the main character subconsciously, fizzes out important memories, so he can't remember.) This may imply that she is a victim of what happens in the movie- maybe thanks to his mental well being?

0:24 - 0:28; We see a new piece of text, "do i have the power to heal them?" which creates more enigma. "Power? Power to control who?"

0:28 - 0:30; More enigma is created- "CUT THE ROPE". (Don't forget, the music is still creepy, it hasn't changed)

0:31 - 0:40; "I WILL COME BACK FOR YOU" is repeated, and then faded. This may give the impression that the character writing the credits is almost psycho-like? "took my shirt off' is repeated too- egotistical?

0:41 - End; We get the name of the movie.

The reason why this opening sequence is psychological horror, and not just horror is because the music messes with your head. You think something is going to happen, when really, nothing actually does. This is why the certificate on this film is 15+.