2. In what ways does your media product use, challenge, or develop forms and conventions of real media products?
3. 1. The main title In order to portray the sense of the eeriness needed within our opening title sequence to introduce our film, inspiration from the opening title sequence of ‘The Number 23’ was taken. The main title used within our opening title sequence used the ‘American Typewriter’ font which is similar to that from the opening titles of ‘The Number 23’, both of which use the idea of a typewriter with jilted motions to enhance and develop the feeling and sense of the opening title sequence for the forth coming film. However the difference between the two are that the ‘The Number 23’ used a more distorted and eroded effect on the text, which did provide and further sense of uneasiness, and that is something that could have been done within our titles. But in improving and developing our opening titles to those from ‘The Number 23’, ours were more coherent with the music, as the typewriter noises played the text came on screen in the same manner, as it would on a typewriter.
4. 2. Setting and location The settings and locations used within are opening titles sequence were those around our school, which is an old and historical building that we felt could apply very well to the story and feeling we were trying to portray. We found that in our research some of our locations were similar to that of ‘The Omen’ and this was with our location of the chapel and the stain glassed window. We decided to use this similarity to our advantage in being able to portray and enhance the same sense of eerie and uneasiness for the viewers when watching the film. This proved to work well and was very successful in creating that sense and feeling. The use of religion within our opening sequence creates a sense of an unknown overbearing figure and feeling and this enhances how unsettling it is and where the setting is based.
5. 3. Costumes and props The costumes used within our opening title sequence were chosen specifically to imitate that of teenagers considered to be outcasts and not so drawn to the stereotypical groups formed within teenage dramas. Therefore inspiration was taken from films such as 'Juno', 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' and 'Kick Ass' which do portray such teenage characters. In creating the costumes and outfits for our characters we decided to limit the clothes to khaki colours such as greens, creams, browns and greys. However in doing this our setting was within a university, so only some elements were taken from this inspiration not all. We wanted the colours to connote how they were not conforming to the average teenage trends. Overall we felt this appropriate as we wanted to portray teenagers that were considered outcasts in a highly considered University such as Oxford.
6. 3. Costumes and props The props used within our opening title sequence were drawn with great inspiration taken from the opening title sequence of 'Se7en'. The opening titles of 'Se7en' create an ‘on edge’ feeling and great sense of uneasiness for the viewers and this is something that we greatly wanted to imitate. In our opening titles we wanted to portray hands preparing for an evil deed that was to be out taken, which is similar to what is shown in 'Se7en' opening titles also. Images that are similar to ours, is the flipping of pages which seems to connote the idea of something ongoing and painful, which is caused be the fact that it is a prolonged shot. The close up of the pen writing, the knife, the drawings, and crossed out images of faces are all shots that are similar which have been used to create a distorted and disjointed effect that enhances that scary feeling within the opening title sequence.
7. 4. Camera and editing Within our opening title sequence there are a varied use of shots. The most significant and successful shot used within our opening sequence is when the group discovers their hanging friends shows a low angle shot of the feet of the group entering the chapel and stepping/jumping back in shock at what they discover. This works almost as a reaction shot but in a different way. The close up shot creates something quite intimate for the audience when watching, creating the sense that they really are involved within the unravelling narrative conveyed within the opening sequence. The use of this
8. 5. Typography – style and font The typography used within our opening title sequence was very similar to that from the opening titles of 'The Number 23'. Both opening title sequence use a typewriter style font, however the style of the text in 'The Number 23' is more eroded and disjointed which creates a sense of uneasiness that is coherent with the rest of opening title sequence. This is something that we could have also done to improve our media product. We also used and develop the ripped and eroded effect within our typography in our title credits and this was done to connote the unsettling ripping of papers in anger, along with the jilted effect that we created.
9. 6. How the opening sets up the narrative of the film? The opening sets up the narrative of the film by introducing a young group of friends in the photograph. We see one of the friends discovering the defaced photograph and this sets up the narrative of the film in which the friends blame each other in discovering what has happened to their friend. We are also able to see the reactions of the characters which allows the audience to join in with the narrative in discovering the truth.
10. 7. How opening constructs/conveys genre of horror? The opening constructs and conveys the genre of horror with the image of the hanging feet which reveal something quite disturbed and twisted to the audience. This image is similar to that from 'The Omen'. We decided to also portray this image as upon viewing the film we saw how it worked so well in shocking the audience and really conveying the genre of horror so simply. Therefore we also decided to do this within producing our media product and it proved to also be successful in providing that shock factor in scaring the audience and making them feel quite uneasy which is a key example of constructs and producing films of the horror genre. However in also using a low angle shot we did not completely imitate it, but felt that it would be better to develop it the use of this in such a way from using a closer shot that allowed the audience to feel more closer and involved within the action portrayed on screen.
11. 8. Introduces characters Within the opening title sequence the characters are first introduced by the means of a photograph of them all together. It is suggestive that they are all friends and there is a significance in the fact that we first see them in a photograph that does later become defaced, showing that there is an underlying mystery between these characters and their friendship. An example where the characters are introduced by the means of photographs and pictures as in the thriller film 'One Hour Photo' which creates the sense of uneasiness with people looking at pictures that are maybe not associated with them, and also when the audience are not aware of who is looking at the pictures within the film.
12. 9. Music The music within our opening title sequence uses a layering of sound clips of typewriters and machinery, which is shown to be similarly done in both 'The Number 23' with the use of the typewriter and other machinery and also in 'Se7en' which layers different types of sounds. We decided to use inspiration from these films opening titles as the effect of their sound and editing created a disjointed effect which was fitting for the sense and feeling that was aimed in being portrayed. Se7en: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEZK7mJoPLY The Oxonians: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YddOIpNVyS4&feature=channel_video_title
13. Our media product represents the particular social group of young people, specifically those in higher education and University. This social group was represent through our characters of which are a group of friends. The idea of a mystery or a secret among the friends was also something quite evident within media product that we have produced and this is something commonly done within teenage based drama films. Although not conforming to particular stereotypical groups the group of teenagers in the media product are considered to be outcasts within the environment, which is why they are dressed in clothes that would not be similar to those of the average teenager, however we tried as hard as possible to keep it both old fashioned in style yet appealing and modern enough to appeal to a teenage audience. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
14. How have you used digital technologies to construct your media product? The main technologies used to begin construction of our media product within its production were hardware that included the use of a Sony camera to film all of the video footage for the video sequence, it was also attached to a tripod, which was used for the still shots. Still images were also taken and this was done using a DSLR that was also attached to the tripod. During the post-production of our media product, the software used included iMovie to edit all of our footage together to construct the final media product. In coherence with this, Live Type was used to create the main titles such as “A Twisted Tortures Production” and “The Oxonians” to then be imported into iMovie to edit in with the rest of the film. Final Cut was also used and this was for the credit titles. The selected clips for the credits were edited as a separate project on iMovie, exported and then edited with Typewriter effect text on Final Cut, which was then exported, and imported back into iMovie to be edited in with the rest of our media product.
