Audiences who take interest in found footage films
Audiences who enjoy realistic films
Audience who looks for a niche and unique type of horror
How we will appeal to this target audience
The use of teenagers in our film can attract a wider target audience. The use of found footage films bring realism to the audience, which appeals to those who enjoy realistic movies.
Main inspirations
As Above So Below
The Taking of Deborah Logan
The Blair Witch Project
VHS ?
General Synopsis
A story about two curious young crew members who challenge themselves to take on a cursed game. They are inspired by a mysterious video found in the dark web, of three friends dangerously encountering an unknown spiritual board game which then leads to their death. These crew members aim to find out the story behind the odd footage from the web and confirm whether it’s true or not.
Characters
2 crew members
3 teenagers
Representations
Crew members
Girl: Innocent, and clueless.
Boy: Manipulative, reckless, and controlling.
Teenagers
Girl: Hesitant, pressured, reluctant, and anxious.
Girl: Neutral, logical, kinda reluctant, for the hype (bored).
The supernatural world is not something to mess with and sometimes it’s better not to be curious.
Proposed Roles
Script
Lamiya
Storyboard
Maisie
Location Scout
Kellie
Risk Assessment
Kristine
Screen Test
Kristine
Filming schedule
Kellie
Audience research
All
Behind-the-scenes
Lamiya
Editing
Maisie
Changes: Because we were worried that the first scene of the crew members might take up most of the duration, we decided to remove the first part to open the film with the found footage recording of the group of teenagers playing the cursed board game. We also decided to use the idea of a haunted book from Evil Dead Rise as the "cursed board game" and the reason behind all the haunted environment and the cause of their deaths. Heres an updated version that I've created.
Genre/sub-genre
Horror/found footage horror
Target Audience
Demographic
All ages above 16
Any gender
International audience
Psychographic
Audiences who take interest in found footage films
Audiences who enjoy realistic films
Audience who looks for a niche and unique type of horror
How we will appeal to this target audience
The use of teenagers in our film can attract a wider target audience. The use of found footage films bring realism to the audience, which appeals to those who enjoy realistic movies.
Main inspirations
As Above So Below
Evil Dead Rise
The Blair Witch Project
General Synopsis
Three teenagers find an old book in an abandoned attic. When they read from it, they accidentally release demons that start hunting them one by one.
Characters
3 Teenagers
Representations
Teenagers
Girl: Hesitant, pressured, reluctant, and anxious.
Girl: Neutral, logical, kinda reluctant, for the hype (bored).
The supernatural “items” are not something to mess with and sometimes it’s better not to be curious.
Proposed Roles
Script
Lamiya
Storyboard
Maisie
Location Scout
Kellie
Risk Assessment
Kristine
Screen Test
Kristine
Filming schedule
Kellie
Audience research
All
Behind-the-scenes
Lamiya
Editing
Maisie
Reflection: This was very easy to make because we already had decided the roles and the storyline of our opening scene. Although we had changes due to the worry of overtime when creating our 2 minute opening scene, we managed to agree on the final changes as soon as we modified it.
My group and I have decided to create a film opening in the genre of horror. Here is my research into the codes and conventions that are used in the openings of texts from this genre.
Typical convention from the horror genre
Films from this genre usually includes many technical elements that contributes to creating a horror text. The most commonly elements includes the Mise-en-Scene, Camera, Sound, and Editing.
Mise-en-Scene
Common mise-en-scene conventions includes the location choice such as abandoned/lonely houses, graveyards, woods/forest, and many other "dark" settings. Characters play an important role in the horror convention. The most common ones are good vs evil. "Good" characters includes innocent people, group of friends, teenagers, families, and even stupid/idiot people (these characters make foolish decisions to lead their death). "Bad" characters includes devils/demons, monsters, bad spirits, and murderers. Many other small conventions includes the performance which commonly includes screaming, crying, and dying. Colours such as Red and Black represents death and darkness. Props includes sharp weapons, flashlight and even cameras (found footage).
Camera
The most common camera angles includes establishing shots, long shots, close up shots, high/low angle shots, dutch angle shots, over the shoulder shots, zoom shots. The overall effect on these angles helps showcase the setting, the subject (mainly jump-scares) and even help create an appearing tension to the characters. For example, low angle shots creates the illusion of characters looking more powerful, while as high angle shots makes a subject look more powerless. Common camera movements includes panning, dolly, crane, and handheld (found footage). The overall effect on this gives the audience a revealing information during panning movements. It also gives the illusion of immersion, making the audience feel like they are involved of the movie/action.
Sound
Famous sound/tunes that can be heard in horror films are eerie music, screaming, crying, hyperventilating, violent sound effects, explosions, and even dialogues. In horror films, a high technique in making a scene look immersive is to use non-diegetic sounds. These help create the suspension and the thriller feeling for audience. In some cases, a good found footage horror film does not require non-diegetic sounds to bring realism to audience. In horror text, the most common non-diegetic sounds are discordant, or even in genre theory, Steve Neale mentions that a text needs to be similar enough to be identified as a genre, but it also needs to be different enough to make audience feel more engaging. This then includes using contrapuntal sounds.
Editing
Editing is a huge role in a horror film because it helps create emotions that convey to a subject. For example, long takes feel very slow to create an immersive feeling which builds suspense to extend the subjects feelings. There are many quick jump cuts that can be seen in the scenes. This is used to create the jump-scare effect, and the increase of fear, heart and tension to attract the audience. In some editing, CGI is also used for a dramatic and horrific effect.
Narrative
Horror narratives often involves a group (good) trying to survive from being hunted by an antagonist (evil), with outcomes that include death or psychological manipulation, and aren't always predictable. In genre theory, Levi Strauss stated that the majority of narratives in media forms should contain opposing main characters to help thicken the plot and further the narrative. In most narratives of a horror film, its always about good vs evil or nature vs nurture. To keep audience engaged and avoid predictability, the focus is on creating surprises.
The films opening is often used to grab audiences attention, provide context, and often hint at the central conflict or themes of the film. There are many types of film openings that can be used for those reasons. In a horror genre, the most typical way to open a film is by using flashbacks, mysterious event, victims perspective or introduction, and sometimes found footage/recording. Using these can often create the suspense feeling which leaves audience with questions.
A Quiet Place, 2014
Produced by: Platinum Dunes. Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Genre / Sub genre:
A Quiet Place is a horror film which includes sub genres as science fiction because it features a creature and thriller.
What conventions does it conform to?
A Quiet Place has conform multiple conventions. The movie conforms the narrative of a stereotypical storyline of a horror film. The narrative talks about surviving an antagonist (the monster) with some outcomes of death to those innocent people. Most of the conventions includes the technical elements, heres each conventions that has been conform based on those elements.
Mise-en-Scene
The film uses these conventions to increase the tense for the audience, creating a terrifying atmosphere. As seen, the colour red was used often to represent danger and death. The red lights were used to symbolise as an alertness for help. The film also decides to show case different types of representation that can be seen in the family. They included a stupid/idiot person in the film that makes foolish decision which leads to their death. For example, the little boy decides to take the batteries for his rocket toy which ends up creating loud sounds. This then leads to the boy's death. The family also introduced innocent people such as the father as he decides to make sacrifices for his loved ones. Many other conventions were seen which included the antagonist that they had to survive from, props such as flashlight and guns, different settings like the forest, house, and dark spaces. The most important one is the performance, screaming, and crying were commonly seen through the film but, the use of sign language helps bring the movie's plot become more immersive. Overall, these signs help increase the audience emotion that these conventions has driven them to feel.
Camera
The movie uses camera conventions like close ups and extreme close-ups to help capture the characters fear to which it enhances their emotional connection with the audience. There were many scenes that included insert shots to showcase details and information that can increase audiences emotional connection to the character or a specific subject. For example, the film decides to use insert shots to show what the newspaper tells them. Highlighting the word 'death', this tells audience that something bad is happening to them. Even tiny innocent details such as insert shots to the young girl's ear tells audience that she is deaf, as it can be seen her using a cochlear implant. There was also a lot of POV shots and over the shoulder shots which helps shows a characters perspective or from another viewpoint to help create a connection and immersion. The use of panning can also be used to introduce an information to audience as it mirrors natural head movement to what the character is viewing. The use of handheld were used to create a sense of chaos as well and realism. Handheld shots make the audience feel as if they are right there with the characters, experiencing the fear and panic in real time. Lastly the use of establishing shots and long shots helps showcase the setting or even the subject. The use of this helps set the scene and highlight the family's environment. Overall, these techniques work together to create an atmosphere of suspense and terror, drawing viewers deeper into the story world.
Sound
For further explanation, the movie decides to use non-diegetic discordant sounds such as eerie background music, which was used to create tension and unease. The sounds were commonly used during moments of danger or suspense which increases the fear and for both audience and character. As seen in this scene, the movie also uses diegetic sounds to enhance the quietness. This makes it seem like 'the silence is loud'. They also decided to manage to put a loud noise like screaming in a movie about being quiet to survive. There were many techniques seen throughout the perspective of the deaf girl. The film use an audio effect of complete silence whenever scenes focuses on her to immerse the audience in her perspective. This technique emphasises her experience of the work and makes viewers feel her weakness.
Editing
In A Quiet Place, the editing style used long takes to build up tensions but uses short takes during danger to create panic and a high energy/excitement to audience. Because the film had rarely dialogue, the use of insert shots can help draw attention to something specific that might be important to the story. There was also many jump cuts that were used during intense scenes where the family meets the monster. The sudden cuts between shots can surprise viewer's which can enhance the shock of fear. Flashbacks were also used to take the story back, showing past events which helps explains the current situation and provides background to what the story is all about. This can allow audience to feel bad about their past struggles.
What conventions does it subvert?
A Quiet Place changes the usual horror rules by making silence as the key to staying safe. Most common horror movies involves screaming and making loud noise, but they decided to twist it up making it sound impossible to survive with, without communication. The monster can be shown as an antagonist who cant see but only attacks if they hear something, subverting what most subjects need, viewpoint. The sytory then also focuses on a family trying to protect each other, using sign language to stay queit, which makes the film more emotional. The movie also decides to showcase some hard challenges they have to face in their situation such as the mother being pregnant, making it more dangerous to survive in. The editing also includes flashbacks in the non continueity style, this helps
What representations are there? (people/places/events)
In A Quiet Place, the people are mainly represented through the family and their struggle to survive. The parents do everything they can to protect their kids, showing love and dedication. The deaf daughter uses the use of sign language to help the family stay safe, as it helps them communicate which made her disability a positive thing. The movie decides to showcase the setting and the emptiness. The settings is a quiet and lonely place, far from other people, which makes them feel alone and weak. This then helps show how life has changes because of the dangerous creatures. The family also has then learned to live without making noise, they also decided to create their own procedure to help escape from getting killed. Lastyly, they also felt very sad from their loss which has showcased their fear and how dangerous it is to live in that situation.
Cloverfield, 2008
Produced by: Bad Robot. Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Genre / Sub genre:
Cloverfield is a horror film which includes sub genre as Science Fiction and has an important sub genre, Found Footage. This is because it features characters recording their journey as they get chased by a large unknown creature.
What conventions does it conform to?
Cloverfield decides to conform a convention of a horror genre using the found footage technique. This helps create a sense of realism making audience feel attached, The film also showcase binary opposites where humans meet monsters (non humans) to it has conform the storyline of a horror genre, surviving an antagonist. The film also decides to conform these conventions using technical elements.
Mise-en-Scene
There are many types of mise-en-scene convention of a horror film that can be seen in Cloverfield. Firstly an important use of the camera as a property helps immerse the emotion of what a found footage film provides. Other than that, props like weapons were used to symbolise humanity of a full attempt to combat the threatening monster. Without this, it wouldn't help create the chaos and the surviving challenges they had to face against their antagonist. That also means characters which includes innocent people like the groups of friends and even the civilians and the antagonist, the monster itself. The use of alcohol has a huge role in representing characters. The use of alcohol makes audience feel relaxed and engaged to the characters situation. This also gives the foreshadowing effect before the chaotic problem. Colours can be seen also such as red and black to which tells audience that something bad is happening, death, and even unknown. Another feature would be the setting choice, they chose to do a certain location where its dark and chaotic making the convention of a horror film conformed.
Camera
The camera work was mostly commonly shot through a handheld technique to whcih helps create a feeling of realism. In some case, many angles were seen that has a meaning to their convention. Firstly, the use of low angles to showcase the monster has an important effect. Low angles help show a subject to make them feel more powerful and stronger. So, the low angel from the camera shot tells audience that the monster is powerful. Another important use of a camera angle is the dutch angle. This can be used often as this type of angles tell audience that something unusual or something unique has happened. The use of establishing shots tells audience information of what the setting is like or what happened to a certain setting such as the buildings exploding gives audience information that something bad is going to happen. The use of POV shots help make audience feel like they are apart of the situation or event he conversation. Lastly many extreme close ups were used in this found footage film as it focuses on their facial expression, allowing them to content to the characters emotion.
Sound
In this scene, there are many diegetic sounds that can be heard. Additionally, because this film doesn't use non-diegetic sounds, diegetic sounds like explosion, screaming, and the heavy breathing, and even the wind makes audience feel the realistic emotion, making them know how they feel in that situation. High details of sound also includes the cameras statics creating the feeling of an actual camera recording. This was mainly used to convey a broken/error quality or even when the characters turns off the camera. Overall the idea of not using non-diegetic discordant sounds were used to maintain realism and immersion, ensuring the audience experience the story through the characters perspective.
Editing
Cloverfield uses unique editing style that stands out in horror films. It features a found footage approach, where the story is shown through a handheld camera, making it feel real and immediate. The pace is very slow making it a long take but, the editing jumps around in time and uses quick cuts to create chaos and tension, making viewers feel like they are in the middle of the action. Many shots are from the characters perspective, helping the audience connect with their fear. The use visual effects like CGI helps create the illusion of a realism to audience making them thinking that things like that exists. Overall, these techniques work together to make the film thrilling and immersive.
What conventions does it subvert?
The movie decides to subvert the conventions of a horror film by using a found footage style. The difference is that this found fotage was set to be created as an actual real recording instead of turning off once everyone dies. The movie also decides to hide the monster for a long time making it difficult to capture an idea of what the monster looks like. This helps create suspense through the fear of the unknown. The film also decides to use the idea of the whole world whos fighting against the antagonist not just a group of friends. The setting as also taken place in a public area which has turned a normal living place to a terrifying scene of chaos.
What representations are there? (people/places/events)
In Cloverfield, the story shows ordinary people facing a giant monster attack. The characters are regular friends who stick together and try t help each other, showing their bravery and fear. The city itself turns into a dangerous and chaotic setting, reminding people of real-life disasters. The military seen tries to fight the monster but struggles to control it, showing that even powerful forces cant always stop huge antagonist. Overall, the film highlights humans weakness. and the fear of the unknown.
Here are some texts that I will look at a little more broadly to see how they appeal to audiences and how they can inspire me.
Ouija, 2014
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
Ouija was created by many producers which includes Blumhouse Productions. Their target audience are any gender up to age 13 and above, worldwide audience but specifically internationals, anyone who is interested in the horror genre, and anyone who enjoys family-friendly horror films.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
The movie begins by introducing young girls playing the board game, which is part of the overall plot. The scene also then leads to a death encounter of someone that had played the game because of breaking a rule which had lead to distributing bad spirits. I think that this idea can be used in our found footage scene, to make it realistic and create the connection to the sub genre (found). In some cases, we planned to create our found footage scene ending with all of the characters dying which in some way relating with the opening scene of Ouija.
What would you like to avoid in your opening form this?
The opening scene has flashbacks so by the time one of the young girl grew older, she decided to play the game alone (breaking the rule) which has caused her death. We want our opening scene to immediately start with young adults messing around with spirits which leads to death one by one. We also want it to be shot using a handheld technique, since this film isn't a found footage, we would most like try to avoid "copying it" for inspiration. There were also many discordant non-diegetic sounds which isn't a good technique used to make a good found footage film.
The Ritual,2017
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
This film was created by The Imaginarium. Their target audience involves young adults who are interested in genres like fantasy, horror, and those who enjoy dramas. They also target people who are passionate about immersive storytelling and enjoy watching emotional content. The film has appealed to these audience as it includes binary opposites that contributes to a conflict creating drama.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
The film had various of representations that can be seen in their small friend group. Theres innocent people, the scared characters, even the stupid one who cant stop talking. This can be a great representation that I would like to use in my opening film scene. They also made this film in the forest which can provide a natural backdrop which can enhance the visual appeals. The movie also includes characters disrespecting a religious area to which in consequence, has been possessed by those demons. The opening scene decides to showcase a deaths friends wish to which showcase the reason why they are on the journey. This I think could help relate to the idea of my opening scene, as I want the storyline to be 'found footage' scene for a documentation.
What would you like to avoid in your opening form this?
This film is shot without using the found footage technique so these camera angels and the effects it gives wont benefit to inspire me. There was also too much violence and blood which can be too hard to create and manage to get. The use of non-dietetic sounds help immerse the feeling but, a found footage technique, it does not require any non-diegetic sounds at all.
Evil Dead Rise, 2023
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
Evil Dead Rise was mainly produced by Ghost House Pictures. They have a specific target audience which includes producing scary movies for family audience. This appeals to those family audience as this film decides to showcase a family having to fight against demons that are haunting them.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
The movie is about calling bad spirits when the son decides to open a book about demons. This leads to a door opening for them to rise into the world. This can be an idea for our found footage as we can make them open up a book which then gets cursed which leads to their individual deaths. The way the film was shot was in a house. This can be used for our set design as it's free and easy to handle for filming. The film also decides to end the scene with the beginning story of the short relating plot for the opening scene. This hermeneutic code can be an inspiration for us as it can leave audience questions and thoughts about what would happen next as opening scene is basically the future of the actually film.
What would you like to avoid in your opening form this?
This film isn't the sub-genre that we're looking for so inspiration for the camera angles can be hard to obtain. This film has many detailed props which includes blood and even makeup, we try to avoid this because this can be expensive and time consuming for us to create. I think creating a loop can be really hard. I personally think that the whole movie of our film should be the experiment and the opening scene would be the hermeneutic code to audience questioning about the overall incident and what was it about.
As Above Ao Below, 2014
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
As Above So below is a found footage film produced by Legendary Pictures. There overall target audience are ages up to 15-45 years old, slightly more male then females, those who enjoy action, sci-fi, and fantasy films, for their immersive storytelling and special effects. This appeals to these target audience because it has teenager/college students who are exploring a sci-fi world which also slightly includes immersive storytelling as it's based on a real location.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
This film used the handheld technique or most commonly called the found footage technique. This is an example of what I want to do because found footage are very well known for creating realism to audience. This helps make audience feel like they are apart of the journey. The movie also used narratives like breaking a rule/curse which lead to multiple deaths as consequences. This can help me inspire each of my characters cause of death. Lastly, there were many representation of characters which included reckless, innocent, anxious, and stupid characters.
What would you like to avoid in your opening form this?
The movie was very dark, which can be hard to get focus to information and small details in the scenes. The use of the underground setting is smart but it can be too difficult to find a similar location. In the end, some of the characters ended up surviving which isnt the type of opening scene I wanted to go for. We want to have all the characters die to which makes it look more "found footage."
Host, 2020
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
Host is a found footage film created by Shadowhouse Films which has target audience such as adults ages 18-35, with content that appeals to both men and women but mostly men, and viewers who interest in horror, thriller, unique storytelling, and emotional depth in films. These appeals to this audience as it showcase a unique way of storytelling using 'online face call' and has teenagers who are in for the thrilling sensation.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
The characters decides to mess with the activity which has lead them to calling bad spirits. One by one they all die making this found footage recording look more realism. The camera wok uses the found footage technique but it's through a zoom meeting. This can be an inspiration because its easy to create such as reducing the time management for filming. This is an advantage because we struggle to get the perfect day for all of us to do the recording part.
What would you like to avoid in your opening form this?
The movie was created through screen recording which isn't the type of found footage I want to use. The deaths were also off camera which also can be hard to increase the realism to the audience. Most of the characters were the same, females who were terrified so no one was brave or did any sacrifices. They were all mostly stubborn. The film did not have an opening scene making it difficult to research on the technique used for the opening scene of a found footage film.
Unfriended, 2014
Target audience, and how are they appealed to?
Unfriended is a found footage film made by Blumhouse Production which targets individuals of any gender at the age of 13 and above. They also target audience who are interest into horror genre, particulate fans of family-friendly horror films. This films appeals to those audience as its a group of teenager on a FaceTime dying without explicitly showcasing blood and slashing. this can be suitable for families but over the age of 13 above.
What would you like to use in your opening from this?
I think the use of teenagers as characters can be an inspiration role to my opening scene as its easy to look for. This is also a found footage giving ideas on what I can do for some scenes. Because its shot inside a house, there can be inspiration to the causes of each deaths that I want to incorporate in our opening scene. The characters all die making this film an actually 'found footage' like film. These teenagers do a lot of representation that showcase target audience interest such as party games, alcohol, and slang words. The movie's plot was also about distributing spirits (their old friend they all didn't like) to which they got revenge for allegedly murdering the friend. This I think is a good idea to inspire me for my opening scene scenario.
What would you like to avoid in your opening form this?
Using this type of found footage from a webcam isn't what I would want to use for the found footage film. The use of representations of teenage stuff is too old for us to use or even purchase making it hard to make the film family friendly. The film also uses blue as a symbol of mystery (mysterious hacker killer) and eerie which we want to avoid. Instead we want to create a scene with mostly showcasing the colour red.
Reflection: I hated this part. I hated researching and analysing these films. Even tho it was fun but this was time consuming. I stayed up all night just to finish one big research and I still haven't finished everything elese. The good thing is that I managed to completed it before the due date which was a relief. Overall looking back at how I formatted my research, Im very satisfied by how it looks and I was also so happy that my teach gave me 100% on this which was payback for all the hard work and the sleep deprive I had.
