Costumes for our short film

Grimm

We decided to dress the antagonist, Grimm, in a black tracksuit with a white mask. We wanted the tracksuit to be black due to it connoting death and seriousness which are typical themes used in many horrors such as 'Scream'. The white mask would then counteract this as white connotes ourity and innosense. We thought this would be a good colour to use for the mask due to Grimms victims being innocent.

Zola

We will also dress Zola in black and white in order to connote these elements again. However, her top will be white which stans out first and implies instantly that she is the innocent and pure protagonist.

First Horror Mask Questionnaire

Short Film Questionnaire Responses

Short Film Questionnaire

Editing in horror/thriller films

Match on action - This is an editing technique for continuity editing in which one shot cuts to another shot portraying the action of the subject in the first shot.

Transitions - This is when a scene fades into a black screen. This is used to convey mystery which is a key aspect to include when making a horror film.

Splicing - Fast shots which are edited together which creates a sense of fear and tension.


Filters - These can be used to portray a particular mood. This mood is usually dark due to the films being a horror genre. 

Shot-reverse-shot - This is usually used when filming a conversation when one person talking is being filmed, and then it switches to the other person. Then returns back to the original person to film them talking or to capture their reactions and facial expressions.

Cuts - There are a variety of cuts that are used. These can be:

• Jump cuts - dramatic edits which happen when the camera suddenly jumps quickly to a dramatic point in the film to create tension within the audience.
• Cross cut - the camera will cut away from one action to another action. It is often used in films to establish action occurring at the same time in two different locations.
• Cutaway shot - the interruption of a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else.

Continuity edits -  Scenes which have been shown out of sequence however the narrative can still come across to the viewer and they do not seem out of sequence

Fast/slow pace shots - The certain speed can trigger fear amongst viewers. More fear tends to be due to fast pace shots whereas slow shots can be used to show the victims life flashing before their eyes.

Mise-en-scene in horror/thriller films

Props:
Props used in a horror film can vary from a weapon such as a knife, to a spiritual artefact. An example of making use of props to highlight the genre can be a bloodly knife used in a slasher horror such as 'Scream'. These props may not only be used to kill someone, but can also play a role in iconography and a way of foreshadowing an event.. Other props such as crosses, spiritual artefacts and bibles can would be used in a film which includes someone becoming possessed.


Setting:
A typical location where the horror is based would be in a abandoned buildings, a forest, dark mansions, cabins in the woods etc. This is due to it being able to portray the feeling of isolation. If the area were busy and full of people,  this would cause the audience to feel safer and less scared. All of these areas are perfect for creating a suspenseful and tense atmosphere. Also, filming in darkness in these places makes it more tense and scary due to limited vision.



Costume and makeup:

These are important aspects to think about in the making of a horror film as it can determine what caharcter the audience thinks in the protagonist and antagonist. The costumes can show a stereotypical version of a character. For example; a little girl dressed up in a pink dress, pig-tails, frilly socks  would portray her as the protagonist. The antagonist can be identified by the audience immediately according to their appearance. For example, in the film 'Scream', the murderer is dressed in all black with a scary mask.
Make-up can be used in different ways in a horror film. It can be used to make the antagonist scarier or used for 'battle scars' on the protagonist.

Lighting:
The lighting in horror films is usually dark in order to create a scarier environment and to create more successful jump-scares. A character could be walking alone in the woods at night time and the villan jumps out at them from behind a tree. Due to the audience having a lack of vision, it can make them jummp eve more. It is also a very common fear for someone someone to be scared of the dark. This can be because of the 'unknown' and not knowing who/what is there. If the scene would have been filmed in daylight, it would not have the same effect on the audience as it would at night or in the dark.

Facial expressions and body language:
Using facial expressions and body language shows the fear of the character in the scene. This is important and it is the only way the audience is going to believe the character a truly terrified with what is occurring. Their body language and movement reflects their shock, fear and desperation.



Iconography:
These are elements that represent the genre. For example, the colour red represents blood, gore and anger. The colour black represents death and evil. Props, costumes, settings and credits can all show iconography such as bloody knives.

Visual effects:

These are used to scare the audience more by getting them to believe that its real and that it isn't just actors with fake blood and props. Digital effects are sometimes used when the effects could not be accomplished on screen without the use of some "smoke and mirrors". For example, in a slasher and gory film, body parts being cut and limbs being detached from the body will be shown. But to make it look realistic digital effects are used. The traditional visual effects will be used to such as fake blood is still used.

Camera angles and movement in horror/thriller films

Point of view shot - This is when the audience can see through the eyes of the character and can see what they see. This can make the audience feel more involved and scared. For example, if the antagonist was pointing a directly gun at them.





Close up - Used to emphasis the characters facial expressions and emotions to what is occurring. it is also used to capture and make sure that the audience does not miss something important in the scene. For example, in 'Scream' the important prop is the phone.

Zoom - This adds to the dramatic effect and creates elements of suspense and gear as you don't know what you are going to see next. It could also be used to zoom into something gory. One other use could be that you zoom into see something you wouldn't off spotted before like a supernatural being.

Bird eye/ high angle - These are used in a horror in order to make the figure or object that is being looked down on appear vulnerable and powerless.






Low angles - These shots emphasis how intimidating and frightening the villain is. This can make the audience themselves feel weak and insignificant.







Hand held camera shot - This is used often to add a sense of reality as it can make the audience feel involved and adds to the horror of the scene as you feel like you are there.



Tilted angle - Tilt shots add a lot of dramatic tension to shots, and could simplify a supernatural being. It is also a great way to get a different shot of an incident across to the audience. Another great use for a tilt shot is to act as though the camera is a victim on the floor, and you are seeing what they are seeing.





Panning/Tracking shot - These shots connote movement. This is used a lot in horror films as it can give the audience the idea that the character is being followed, watched and in chase scene. It can also be used to show the audience the characters surroundings.

Over the shoulder shot - This is one of the best shots to build tension. This is used a lot in horrors and thrillers to add suspense, and is used around mirrors and reflections so the audience can see what is happening as soon as the character does. This is used a lot to show a figure stood behind a victim.



Reverse - Can be effective in horrors as it can show the consequences if they were to go back in time and change their decisions. It is a great way of showing flashbacks also and captures the characters undergoing realisation about something.

Sound in short horror/thriller films

Sounds in short horror films are the most important aspect as it creates a specific mood and atmosphere for certain scenes in the film. By making use of sound this adds more suspense to the scene and promotes even more emotions to the audience.

There are two types of sound, diegetic and non-digestic.
Diegetic - Any sound presented as originated from source within the film's world. Digetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame. 
Non-diegetic - Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action. It is represented as coming from a source outside of the story space. It can be:  

• narrator's commentary
• sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect
• mood music

Some of the common types of sounds are:
- Isolated instruments instead of a big orchestra are often used before an important event occurs to promote the vulnerability of the character and audience.
- Long notes tend to create more suspense rather than short and sharp notes. This is because they portray the shock of characters.
- The use of long notes that suddenly change has an impact on the viewers emotions as they will become tense and scared immediately.

Voices in horror films should reflect fear, tensions and panic. The voices are generally low and mysterious where as if the voices of the antagonist sounded friendly, the audience would not be very scared. Also, by using a deep voice, it portrays as sense of intimidation and power. 

The sound effects used can be classic sounds which connote the horror genre such as owls, bats, crows, church bells etc. Echoed voices can also be used to give the audience a sense that a ghost or spirit is present.

Update: Casting of Grimm

Due to a change of narrative, we were required to cast three more cast members. When we held auditions, we casted the current actor of Grimm as someone else due to use feeling that Rupert suited the role of the father better. Now, we are looking for an actor to cast who will play the role of Grimm.
We have appointed our back-up actor, Jonathan Oslar due to his body shape and build which automatically creates an intimidating look

Auditions to play: Jane Grace

Jin Lewis

Jin was very confident throughout her audition, however she does not have any experience in this industry which unfortunately showed in her acting.
Another disadvantage we spotted was that she is slightly too old to play the role of Seb and Zola's mother which we thought would affect the realism in our short film which we are trying to portray.
It was difficult for her to commute to the filming location which resulted in her availability being poor.
From looking at both positives and negatives, we decided not to cast Jin.

Jayne Hollin

Jayne Hollin is Rupert Hollins partner is real life which allowed their relationship on film to be completely natural.
She was very calm and relax during her audition which showed that she has had past experience.
Jayne is of perfect age to play the role of Rupert's wife and the mother of Seb and Zola.
Commuting to and fro the filming location will not be an issue to to it being her own house which gives her a huge advantage to her availability.
We were yet to find any faults in this audition and have decided to cast her

Auditions to play: Rupert Grace

Andy Norgate

Andy Norgate was the first to audition for the role of Rupert Grace who plays the father of the two children.
We took into consideration his age and how it was the perfect for playing this role.
He is very confident when auditioning, however he has not had any experience which we could unfortunately see when he acts.
Another disadvantage is that his availability is poor and would be an issue to travel to the filming location in Farnham.
After weighing up the positives and negatives, we came to the conclusion that is confidence is good for the role but on the other hand, we feel as though our actor should be more experienced. Therefore, he will not be casted.

Rupert Hollin

Rupert Hollin has had plenty of experience in the past as an actor and especially in short films which was perfect.
He came across very calm and collected from start to finish and he has plenty of time on his hands for filming.
The commute for him to get to the filming location will not be an issue as we decided to film at his house.
We did not find any faults behind his audition and know that he will be reliable throughout. Therefore, he has been casted to play the role of Seb and Zola's father, Rupert Grace.

Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis was very calm and comfortable throughout his audition which put him at an advantage.
However, a disadvantage discussed was that we feel as though her is slightly too old for the role of Zola and Seb's father.
Also, access for him to travel to our filming location was difficult for him which affected his availability.
Overall, we have decided not to cast him

Auditions to play: Seb Grace

Seb Lewis

Seb Lewis is a 9 year old boy who is just under 5 foot tall which was ideal for the role of the little brother. He has participated in a range of performances such as singing, acting and dancing which is turn has benefited him as he is very comfortable and confident. Commuting to the house will not be an issue as Jayne and rupert are his grandparents which, again, is beneficial as to knowing his availability.
We decided to cast Seb

Ted Mason

Ted Mason is also 9 years old and is the same height as Seb. His availability is not great and he has not had any experience in the acting industry which showed unfortunately. Therefore, he will not be casted and we will stick with our original actor.

New narrative

Characters:

• Zola ' Mils' Grace - female protagonist
• Grimm - antagonist (masked man)
• Seb Grace - Zola's younger brother
• Rupert Grace - Father to Zola and Seb
• Jane Grace - Mother to Zola and seb

New Narrative:

Zola comes home from a friends house as her parents are going out for the night and have asked her to babysit her little brother, Seb. A while after they have left, Zola takes Seb to bed. From that point on, a mysterious man, known as Grimm, stalks and terrorises both children. However, Grimm is constantly appearing and disappearing throughout. After a series of events, Zola leaves the house to take the rubbish out. Whilst doing this, she comes face to face with Grimm himself as he tries to capture her, but again, disappears.

Ending:

We needed to create a clear ending to reaper, therefore, after Zola has just been chased, she quickly runs back inside the house to check of Seb. When she sees that Seb is still there fast asleep, she leaves and shuts the door. This is when Grimm jumps and kills Seb. Zola is also killed but this is not shown. 

Brainstorming new narrative ideas

Narrative change

After receiving feedback from peers and teacher on our narrative idea and animatic, we gained back mostly criticism due to our narrative being too similar to 'Scream' and including too many text messages. Another piece of negative feedback was that it came across as more of a trailer then a short film which would then lead to our film being unsuccessful and gain low marks. Therefore to overcome this issue, we are going to have to completely change the story.

Me and my partner have brainstormed a few new ideas, all of which involve the addition of new characters. Therefore we will hold auditions for these cast members. The protagonist and antagonist are staying the same but we need to introduce family members to make it more realistic. The protagonist is now babysitting her younger brother so we need to cast a young boy and their parents who leave the house early on in the film.

Auditions to play: Zola Mils Grace

Jade Moon

Jade Moon is the first candidate for the main role of Zola. Jade has had some past experience in acting whilst taking part in drama for three years at school. She isn't very keen on acting as she came across slightly nervous but is still happy to take part.
She is perfect height for the part as she is around 5 foot two - small enough to portray the idea of her being timid and weak.
Overall, we have decided not to cast her but she will be a good replacement if the main actor is unavailable.

Lauren Oslar

Lauren Oslar does not have any experience in the acting industry and although we were impressed with her audition, we could feel her discomfort which made her acting seem un-natural. Her height was slightly too tall for the role which we also had to take into consideration.
Her availability was of good standard, therefore we will consider her as a replacement instead of the main role due to not meeting certain criteria

Mili Lewis

Mili Lewis is very experienced in drama in and outside of school which has allowed her audition to show her confidence on stage. Her audition highlighted the fact that her acting came across very natural which we did not see in the other auditions.
She is 15 years old which is perfect age for the role of the young protagonist as it shows weakness and possibly the idea that she is young and naive.
Her availability was perfect and is very likely to be available whenever she is needed.
With all of this in mind, we have decided to cast Mili as the main actor, Zola.

Auditions to play: Grimm

Rupert Hollin

Rupert Hollin is in his fourties and has a bold build with broad shoulders which is perfect for the role as this character needs to look intimidating and strong.  Another aspect which makes his build ideal for the role is the fact that he is six foot one - tall enough to come across intimidating.
He has a lot of past acting experiences, especially in short films and playing the antagonist.
By gathering all if this information together, we decided to cast him as the antagonist, Grimm.

Luke Harman

Luke Harman has a tall build with a slim figure and is in his thirties. His height makes him look intimidating but his build makes him less intimidating than Rupert. He was very confident throughout the audition which was a positive also. Due to us being very impressed with this audition as well as Rupert's, Luke will be the perfect replacement if needed.
However, his availability may be an issue in the future due to commuting to the filming location in Farnham.

Jonathan Oslar

Again, Jonathan is ideal for the antagonist role in terms of his build and height.
He is also a perfect replacement in needed and his availability is better than Luke's which makes us lean more towards Jonathan as the first replacement if Rupert is unavailable.

Character Analysis

Zola Grace (protagonist):

Zola is a 17 year old girl with a height of approximately 5,3 with brown eyes and mousy brown hair. She is born and raised as a British citizen living on the outskirts of Essex. She lives in a detached house with her mum, her dad and her little brother with no pets. Zola enjoys spending time with herself in a quite setting where she can read, write on her blog, go on her phone, watch films and TV all day.




Grimm (antagonist):

Grimm is a mysterious character that the audience do not know much about. They are unaware of his age, profession, nationality, race, eye and hair colour.

Props needed for short film

List of Props:

• Cup of tea - This gives the audience a sense of realism as making tea is an action people do in every day life. This can then add more horror to the scene as the audience feel as though the scary events could possibly happen to them and they can picture themselves in the protagonists shoes.

• Laptop - Zola is using this laptop to write on her blog. Connotation of youth as young adults and teenagers use a lot of technology in their everyday life.

• Sofa - Where Zola is sitting on her laptop and receiving and replying to the mysterious text messages. Most shots show her on this sofa when she is scared as it presents her vulnerability when she is scared to the audience as she is too afraid to move. This stereotypically targets teenage girls as they are seen in society as being the most weak and vulnerable.

• Earphones - These can connote youthful immaturity as it portrays how teenagers can be oblivious and unaware of their surroundings and the dangers around them when they use earphones with loud music. This targets young children, teenagers and adults who witness unawarity from young people.

• Phone - The phone that Zola receives and replies to the anonymous texts on. This is a prop that targets the younger generation and how they are always on their phone and texting a lot.  

• Kitchen utensils - These include utensils such as knives. I plan to show a knife in the background of my short film whilst Zola is either in the kitchen making tea or looking around the room when she hears a noise. By having this prop visible to the audience, this can cause them to associate this with the idea of foreshadowing a negative event which may be happening soon. This event involves using this knife as a weapon which is a very popular use of iconography in horror films. 

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Storyboard Animatic - Surprise