Still to do:

• Later on this day I plan to upload my rough storyboard ideas, as well as my ideas for make-up, to which I have sketched out myself from influence from my previous blog of secondary research.
• Upload our finished storyboard, which features pictures of our settings with costume and props. We completed our pictures on Monday, in order to understand how our video would look visually. On top of this, we recorded audio sounds alongside our pictures upon a simple video tool on Jess' computer, which explains clearly what each shot shows, what they represent, their edits, timing etc... this will give a clearer picture upon our ideas. Previously, this is on Jess' blog but can only be uploaded from her computer, therefore I am waiting for her to complete this for me
• Make a collage of leftover pictures from Monday. Some of these are useful as they show us making and handling certain props and prove our work, as well as emphasizing the pictures that didn't quite make it onto our finale storyboard
• Upload our spider diagram of possible titles for our films name. From this, we are making a short survey of audience research, with the public choosing their favourite name by ticking a checklist of a closed questionnaire (these will also be provided upon the blog) from here we will choose the most popular selection
• Decide through audience research which voice is better for the narration
• Audience research - a short blog selecting our cert with reasons for this, as well as interviewing a small sample with questions based around our piece
• Research sounds upon http://www.freesound.org/ - we still need to select particular sounds to put onto our video: from ambient sounds like crickets to harsh non-diegetic sounds like violin screeches
• Design and make a production logo, representing our fake distributor
• Safety hazards
• A blog based on influence from all of my research - what I have chosen/rejected for my video...why...what... etc. Be particular about areas that have helped me

Nightmare on Elm Street Influence

This is a horror classic, directed by Wes Craven in 1984. It follows baddie Freddy Kreuger stalking a group of teenagers within their nightmares, as he hunts these friends down one by one and kills them as they sleep. Nancy, a typical average girl who lives upon Elm Street, notices these strange occurrences, and acknowledges Freddy within her visions. However, with the help of lucid dreaming, she manages to escape her dreams each time and fit the pieces together. From here, she is able to attempt beating Krueger down, as well as aim to save her friends before it is too late. With the struggle to stay asleep taking over her as well as her friends dropping off one by one upon Elm Street, this film really is a nightmare, although the horrific make-up of actor Robert Englund (Krueger) and the massive build up of eerie tension throughout helped this picture achieve three awards, as well as two nominations. On top of this, it has numerous sequels, different movie versions and songs in relation to the narrative, as well as a sequel being released next year.



Although this films actual direction may not relate fully to our opening psychological thriller, the plot idea is a massive coincidence, with the idea of a haunting sadistic individual stalking a vulnerable person's dreams'. For example, the main character Nancy appears a fragile teenage girl - until she manages to fight back - likewise to the afraid teenager within our piece, judged by her reaction shots and shaky, nervous speech. However, as she is brave enough to tell of her tale, it is likely within the opening that she is going to defeat this demon, as the research relations (such as the camera and books) hint at this. Therefore, the idea of someone taking another form within somebody else's dream is horrific alone, let alone in our situation being of what appears to be a little girl, morphing into a grotesque being once their face is revealed (likewise to the gruesome appearance of Krueger, with the specialised make-up adding tremendously to the baddie stereotype.) Therefore, although it may not have as many similarities as 'Dont Look Now' and 'The Ring', our opening credits and 'Nightmare On Elm Street' have some particular similarities, which can portrayed within our storyline.

Our script

On Monday, like planned, we completed the script of our character's narrative before the dream sequence starts. In this, they speak about their dreams - in order for the story to be understandable - as well as introduce the nightmares themselves. From here, me and Jess both recorded ourselves speaking this speech, and are planning on asking approximately 5 people their opinions upon our voices, with the higher poll being selected to be used within our video. We will allow them to listen to our voices through an ipod - on either an audio format or a video - and forapproximatley then film their reactions with asking questions alongside this. The speech lasts 20 seconds, and is separated by an ellipses, which divides the speech as this continues onto a different part of the video - about 5 seconds later, when the screen will go black. The speech is of follows:

'The dreams started around two weeks ago. At first I thought they were just simple nightmares- you know the scary stuff that spook you a little. But then it returned. Exactly the same; with the same girl. I don’t really know what they mean. Have I seen her before? Is she a ghost? Is she trapped? All I can think about is her and her red hood… her red hood'

Costume and props:

Here are a selection of props that we need, in order to complete our planned video:

-Props within bedroom - e.g. bed, books on bookcase, alarm clock, bedside lamp
-A red cloak, polka dot dress, heart-printed tights, brown brogues
-Three sets of pyjamas
-Red lipstick
-Red nail polish
-Fake blood or food colouring
-Gold heart necklace
-A lamp
-A camera - both for filming/old fashioned camera within video
-A tripod
-A tape
-A sink
-A doorknob
-A piece of white paper (for fake blood/food colouring drip effect)
-A large book
-A variety of make-up
-A net to put on bed


Here are my costume designs, to which we plan to use within our video:
























Above is the layout of the costume that I will be wearing within our video. If you click on the image, you will see notes for it, which is helpful to understand why we have used certain areas of the costume.

Below is the costume ideas for the three sets of pyjamas. Although maybe not 100% accurate, they are our pilot ideas upon the pyjama scene.

Make-up

Towards the end of the video, when the unusual, red-hooded figure within the dream (played by myself) is revealed, we have planned that her face will have horrific features, that will frighten and startle the audience. Therefore, I am going to research some make-up ideas that appear frightening, in order to inspire us for our bizarre character's appearance:

'The Ring' influence

Me and Jess also noted that the film 'The Ring' has similarities to our opening film, too. 'The Ring' was distributed in America in 2002, directed by Gore Verbinski and based upon the remake of Japanese 1998 horror, 'Ringu'. It follows the never-ending recurrence of death from a video tape that is soaring secretly throughout America, which individuals die after seven days of viewing. The video tape features a series of disturbing, surrealistic montage images, to which reveal clues to the individuals death and relations to the narrative behind the videotape. The film begins with two teenage girls, where one - Katie - admits to watching the tape seven days previously and results in dying bizarrely. From here, we follow her aunt Rachel (Naomi Watts) as she researchers through her journalist links in order to find the result of her nieces death. However, she is working against time, having too studied the tape. The film features a series of horrific cut in shots alongside screeching sounds, as well as the iconic Samara character, well known for her gruesome, dreary appearance. The film is a horror hit, noted in positive reviews widely by the critics as well as even producing a sequel. This horror-mystery-thriller has been viewed by me numerous times, as well as being widely studied in Year 11 for my GCSE Media.



Above: an image from the actual movie, this is an example of the startling imagery that the character represents. Although her clothes and make-up on her arms do not relate to our piece, the use of her stance and hidden face with long locks do correlate ours, therefore her character being a major influence. The use of the colour edit is likewise to our piece, too, as we are considering editing our images upon the AppleMac's to make our character and surroundings appear gruesome in low-key, contrasting colours.
I noticed from analysing this film, also, that are film also goes through a state of DISEQUILIBRIUM: THE STATES OF NARRATIVE WHICH IT MOVES BETWEEN; HERE, A DISRUPTIVE ENDING (BASED ON TODOROV'S THEORY, AROUND BEGINNING, MIDDLE, END AND FLASHBACKS)

Here are some similarities I noticed from analysing the overall film between 'The Ring' and our own film:

• Begins with ambient sounds - rain falling - and a natural setting outside of a house. The dark light is a premonition, likewise to ours


• A whippish sound upon the first cut - which is freakish


• Circles within each scene. This is likewise to the use of red within each camera shot on 'Don't Look Now', and likewise to the similarity to us using red within our video


• Teenage girls


• A story being told at the start


• Use of opening in room - even clock next to bed and curtains half drawn, emphasizing entrapment. An up close of the clock follows, highlighting a ticking sound, likewise to ours - time is ticking down


• The use of the TV sound is fuzzy/blurry. Surreal, like our sounds within our video. This is followed by diegetic sounds - footsteps - that are almost not audible. The use of this is effective, as the non-diegetic, horrific sounds are overpowering.


• The use of different ringing pitches used - variation of sounds (silent screeches. screech/chime-like sound heard when her face is shown. Technical digital sound at hint of death - iconic. Piercing and sharp throughout.


• Doorknob up close, like ours


• Extreme up close of girls face - a zoom of it. Her face is freaky/distorted, which shows revelation of horror within this film. Ours is likewise to this, as our figures face is revealed in a horrific manner (for this, I will produce ideas for our make-up, as we need to elaborate upon how we wish to stylize this.)


• Repetition of scenes/flashbacks.


• Unusual sights -blurs in TV, for example


• Questions and clues hinted at when documents are studied e.g. photographs with blurred faces. We used the 'Se7en' example of a large book and its page turning from a level shot, hinting at researching within the montage*(see bottom)


• Up close reaction shots - likewise to girl waking up in bed.


• Girl hidden by hair - likewise to Samara. This adds a horrific mystery, adding to psychological thriller norm of needing to concentrate throughout


• Jump cut of her moving


• Scenes show normality, followed by short montages and back to reality - known as a non-liner sequence, also likewise to ours

Likewise to 'Dont Look Now', I have noticed many more similarities. However - also like the other film - there is a main montage scene. This montage scene within 'The Ring' is iconic, as it is the core of the film with the clips being based around the video, which is focused around the horrific narrative of the feature. Below is an image I created of a selection of the shots used throughout the montage:

MONTAGE:

• An unusual setting of a montage - this is shown as a videotape, whilst ours features within a dream
• A ring opens this - highlighted with light, emphasizing a dream-like atmosphere. This film opens up with the image paralleling the title of the film - could use this for ours?
• Cuts to jagged static of video tape for a few seconds. Then cuts to black water running, with deep red blood. This is eerie, and lingers, with a muted screech played alongside it - almost thoughtful
• Cuts to black/white scratchy shots of a chair alone in a white room. Its shadow is emphasized
• Up close of black with white speckles splitting up shot. Although this is a brush in hair - revealed in the next shot - it appears like unusual dripping blood presented in negative, or possible barriers
• The next shot shows a cut away of a woman brushing this hair. She appears to be in a photograph, although startling as she is moving. Still presented in black n white. She appears happy
• Cut to same wall, revealing the mirror now on the left hand side of the screen. Low key lighting alongside b+w makes it difficult to visualize, but it reveals a moving image of a girl covered with black hair almost being sucked away into darkness away from the photograph.
• Shot-reverse-shot of previous shot of woman, although she is looking to left and and appears happy - admiring the other photograph
• Sharp up close of a bare needle, blood dripping from top
• Cut to low angle shot showing a farmhouse. A man is in the window, admiring the camera, although he appears serious and concerned. The weather behind is dull, representing pathetic fallacy. The man then looks to the right, as though he has turned away from situations
• Cut establishing a scene, from a cliff side. The weather is dull, with a tree being blown in the wind and the clouds looming
• A jump cut of a fly appearing follows, whilst the weather has been fast paced
• Cuts to a black background
• Extreme close up of a persons mouth, which appears in bad condition, as their face is dirty and their teeth jiggered. Something is being pulled out of their mouth, with a gurgling undescribable non-diegetic or diegetic sound being heard
• A fast paced shot of whats appears to be a bin bag. This bin bag gives the illusion of somebody struggling inside of it, as it kicks out and moves rigorously
• Shot reverse shot of the ring
• Cut of a burning tree
• Close up SVS of the nail again, although a finger is lingering over it. A jump cut shows the finger fall through it, and release blood and a damaged fingernail. This is a very sharp shot - happening within a second - therefore being effective
• Aerial shot of maggots crawling, with a non-diegetic high pitched sound adding a piercing factor. A negative colour edit follows, with a jump cut afterwards revealing what appears to be humans struggling or swimming. This is disillusioned
• A high angle shot of a table, with a glass reflecting an intense shadow. The chair is slowly pulled out by an unknown force, when a pan to the right shows an abnormally large centipede appearing from under the table.
• Cuts to a lamb hobbling behind a door in a barn, almost struggling. Hints at the farmhouse reference
• Jaggerdery edit
• Extreme close-up of a horse eye - more farmyard animals - hints at a main location within this film
• SVS of ring, although the ring appears to be closing
• Fingers cut off, wiggling in a box
• SVS of the tree burning - now with a flickering shadow
• SVS of bin bag effect
• SVS of room with mirror, although woman is now combing hair, looking into mirror. She turns around and looks confused and startled at the camera. This shot makes the audience uncomfortable as she appears ghostly pale and killer-like, as well as her reflection not appearing in the mirror. This mirror may be a main motif within this film
• SVS of farmhouse again, although the man has vanished
• SVS again of chair, although it is now spinning on its head
• Long shot of a ladder against a blank wall. A shaky hand held shot - someone watching?
• Low-key lighting, long shot of a beach, showing an animal's corpse on the sand, with waves lapping back and forth. It appears to be a horse, relating to the previous horse shot
• Pan - now with colour - of landscape again, although woman is now there - woman brushing hair? She is standing on the edge, and falls forward, falling of the edge
• High angle shot of ladder falling, - almost graphic match
• SVS of ring - now closed
• SVS of ladder now hitting ground and bouncing, with emphasis on shadow - this builds tension as it is a lingering shot
• An establishing shot of outside, featuring a wood with dim colour. shows trees and a well. This lingers for a moment, and cuts to a static shot with a fuzzy, crackling sound, concluding the video footage

Likewise to this, we use cuts frequently; will edit the colours within our montages/dream as negative and with dull colour; use similar screechy sounds and fast-paced, unusual images that may seem unreal but relate to the narrative.

'Dont Look Now' influence

Plot: Directed by Nicolas Roeg and released in 1973, this combination of a ‘psychic mystery thriller’ follows John and Laura Baxter, as they tragically lose their daughter in a drowning accident and take a break to Venice to escape the trauma. They meet an elderly pair of sisters, whom one blind sister claims to be psychic and insists upon seeing the spirit of their recently drowned daughter. Although Laura takes interest, John resists, although as the narrative continues he questions his sanity as he appears to have his own telepathic hallucinations, as he appears to see flashes of his daughter walking the streets of this strange city in her iconic red cloak. However, not is all as it seems, as these images turn into psychotic, traumatic coincidences that turn into a dramatic, devious and yet demonic twist at the end, leaving the naive John in danger.
After viewing 'Dont Look Now', I recognise many similarities to our own narrative, which are pure coincidences. After analysing the overall film quite roughly, I recognise many similarities to our own piece. These are of follows:

• Begins with ambient sounds and credits


• Child in iconic red cloak - contrasts as she's a innocent blonde (not quite the final girl) and appears happy, whilst ours is sinister and secretive.


• Use of many jump cuts


• Foreboding images and reminders - e.g. up-close shot of river at the very start of the film is almost an omen for the girl drowning. Up closes of rivers of shown throughout the film, being of reminders to the audience


• Many scenes are featured outside. These are shown from ambient lighting, then towards the end of film low key lighting is used. Shows bad things will happen


• Red is shown in practically every shot, which adds to a reminder of the red cloak as well as an omen for a red-hooded figure to be shown later on. We have decided to use red in most shots - the montages - from influence from this film. RED = RAGE, ANGER, BLOOD, PASSION


• Shots at night = very dark which is foreboding. Low key lighting highlights little of the mise-en-scene, making the audience have to think/imagine more and parts of the film. This is likewise to other psychological thrillers. Our dream goes through disequilibrium, adding to a disilussional sense


• The first shot of the red hooded figure is fast. A quick zoom highlights her. Doesn't appear until 34 minutes - obviously a difference with our little time limit. However, the use of variety of camera shots is used upon our figure, too, adding thoughts and different possible personality's to her as she is unknown. Adds curiosity/caution towards the girl within our dream


• Large use of shadows = e.g. red figure running - likewise to ours


• Wide range of reaction shots, zooms, cuts, etc...


• Flashbacks - within 'Dont Look Now' flashbacks are shown of the girl dying, likewise to ours of memory of girl in dream and her getting ready for bed


• Deep lingering music - use of heavy violins/organ when negative/horrific moments. We will use harsh, screechy, negative sounds.


• Overall quite low-key lighting - likewise to ours. Adds a darkened mood likewise to the darkened settings. We will edit parts in deep contrast or darken them, too


• A peculiar ring is heard when figure appears - done on a flute? Ours will feature distinctive sounds


• Can't grasp figure - both physically and with the camera. Within our piece, the dreamer can't grasp the individual mentally, as she is only within her mind. Also, she disappears and is too far away to be seen from camera. Both characters hide their faces, too


• Use of handheld camera adds a shaky effect, as well as the sense of being watched/ chased/ followed. Ours follows this norm, too


• Repetition throughout e.g. - chases, carrying same walks/paces/destinations - ours follows this, such as repetition of dreams in narrative, repetition of shots - pyjama sequence and girl standing still and getting nearer in bedroom, as well as shot reverse shot used throughout


• Figure constantly disappearing past camera


• Contrast of sounds: ambient to diegetic alongside non-diegetic to just non-diegetic back to ambient, etc... e.g. leading mans speech, then used with an organ playing, then just non-diegetic through parallel editing, back to a shot-reverse-shot of him alongside these sounds


• Figure standing still from behind and shadow emphasized (use of standing still eerily and shadow highlighted)


• Sound of a girl crying - we may use this sound if we can find it on http://www.freesound.org/ as it is highly effective


• Huge shock when face revealed - shock as not what expected (believed to be his daughter but in fact an elderly old woman.) Within ours, an innocent young girl is presumed due to her clothing, but through make up we will elaborate with freaky features


• Use of cut in on distinctive object - cut in to her revealing knife from pocket


• Highly effective montage used*(see bottom of blog)


• The cover art of this film also reflects our piece, as a girl is standing staring on a bridge. The landscape has been showed in black and white, whilst the girl has been edited in colour - her iconic red hood shown effectively. Therefore, this piece of prop is obviously essential within the film, as well as our piece. We simply decided through our idea process to use a piece of prop that can be represented again and again and recognisable, to which Jess produced her home-made red cloak. Therefore, it was by pure coincidence and quite pleasing that our opening will parallel a successful psychological thriller.
  

MONTAGE:

• A shot of somebody waking up, followed by a cut to red figures face, a cut in of the knife that she produces from pocket


• A flashback from the mans perspective of his wife screaming from the opening of the film - showing a repetition of the same edits, likewise to ours. Cut to, from side view, the red hooded midget hacking man with a large butchers knife in the neck.


• Flashback of man cradling daughter. Cut in of his neck being slit and a jump cut of his reaction. Another flashback to ball in pond - innocence has been destroyed


• Him shouting as he falls back - use of parallel editing of his son innocent in England, away from disruption. Flashback to figure revealing face (another use of edit reused)


• More flashbacks - e.g. him clinging on to his life in chapel, as non-diegetic church bell sounds start. He rocks in time to the church bell rhythm. This signifies a religious reminder, as Venice is quite a religious city and he has been working on a chapel. Also shows religion has not helped him.


• More flashbacks representing his life flashing before his eyes e.g. - innocent daughter's face, a zoom in to the haunting blind woman who is screaming. Although she's tried to help, she is still harsh at appearance. More sounds start, such as a messy orchestra band which sounds messy/horrific to the ear - alongside the juxtaposition of church bells.


• Even more flashbacks - quite quickly - are used, in order to represent the omens throughout the film that hinted at this point. Is a clever twist.


• Ends on an eye-level shot of the spinning ceiling from his point of view

Overall, as I went to analyse 'Dont Look Now', I only expected obvious similarities - such as the use of a small child or the iconography of the red cloak. However, although I only briefly skipped through sections and chapters of the film, I found many many similarities - with some being the exact of our video, whilst others just being of slight coincidences. However, overall analysing this has helped with my research, on top of even influencing me - e.g. we have now decided to put red in most shots - if not every - likewise to this film, which I noticed it used whilst studying. Moreover, 'Dont Look Now' is very similar to our opening psychological thriller film, due to its conventions listed about and the use of a well-known montage.

Above: The film cover of "Dont Look Now"

Above: When the red hooded figure of the startling appearance of the midget old lady is revealed. This shot is a priority example of the use of the iconic red, as well as a medium shot showing most of the persona. On top of this, most of the film is featured in low-key lighting - likewise to this shot above, which appears freaky and eerie

Above: An iconic scene from the opening sequence of the film. It shows John Baxter finding his daughters dead body in the lake outside of his house. Her red cloak opens up the film, highlighting its trademark iconography - likewise to our piece. The establishing landscape piece is also highlighted, drawn in with a shallow focus as the characters are focused upon. We may also do this. The use of a murky scene/landscape is ideal, too, as ours is similar within some of our settings. As the season is of winter slowly morphing into Autumn - likewise to the picture - another similarity is found.