Bonus Post!

 I really felt as though I had to add this post onto here, as our friend Juan Diego, or as some of you will come to know him, the starring male lead in our film, has decided to absolutely gift us with a musical piece which he has allowed us to incorporate into our opening. He actually made the piece after we wrapped on filming, as he felt inspired by the process. Not only is he an amazing actor, but a truly gifted musician as well, and I am proud to say that we will be changing the music within our credit sequence to our custom made piece!

Here's the piece for those who want to listen:

Question 1

 In order to answer the first question of my creative critical reflection, I first want to boil the question down to: How does your product use or challenge conventions and represent social grounds or issues.

 One of the biggest questions we considered while making our horror film opening, was not just if, but how (to what extent) it would follow or challenge genre conventions, and what kind of representation we would include within the opening.

 Horror films have typically well established conventions, many of which we decided to include to effectively create a recognizable opening, these conventions include, a dark atmosphere and the use of suspense, as we relied on low, candlelight, and an eerie setting to build tension, a staple in horror films. Next, we used the element of violence and fear, the use and presence of a knife, blood splatter, and an implied murder immediately panics viewers, incorporating that element of fear as well as violence. Finally, the use of mystery is essential, as almost nothing is releaveld upfront, keeping the audience guessing in order to not just build more tenions, but also to keep the opening as just an opening, and making sure it want too conclusive.

 However, me and my group still decided to challenge some of the more typical horror tropes. For example, instead of relying on a helpless female lead, who is a citim, we aimed for more balanced roles. The killer isn't just a masked murderer, but instead a character which is equally human and which other can relate too, and connect with, in some ways. We also played with perspectives, so instead of showing an actual violent act, which wouldve been unrelaistic for us to achieve as ameature filmmakers, we focused on both the buildup and the aftermath, allowing viewers imaginations to do most of the work, filling in the gaps.

 When it comes to how we incorporated elements of representation, although horror films typically have a problematic history of more stereotypical representations, me and my group wanted to make sure we avoided that, we did so by avoiding the use of that "final girl' trope, giving our characters more depth, and felt like more realistic, relatable people as opposed to just horror stereotypes.

 Me and my group also considered how fear, in itself, is a universal experience. Rather then make our horror based on an external monster, or a supernatural force, we decided to lean into the more psychological aspect of horror, focusing on tensions, paranoia, as well as fears of the unknown, making our opening feel more grounded and relatable to a far wider audience. 

Back to our roots

  Following our DaVinci struggles, we decided to make the best decision for us, that being that we were going to switch to Adobe Premiere Pro for all of our editing needs. As this was the platform our teacher originally got us editing on at the start of the year, I felt the most confident in editing on this platform, and felt I knew my way around it more. Right away, I felt as though Adobe was much more manageable for us. The layouts were significantly cleaner, the tools easier to find, and I was no longer fighting my computer to make basic edits, it didn't take long for my group an dme to be cutting scenes, adjusting colors, and perfecting transitions (or lack thereof).

 My favorite part, aside from the absolute joys! of editing, was finding the background music to go along with our credit sequence. Making sure we found one that was royalty- free, anf full of horror was essential. After some time digging through the internet's best royalty- free sound sites, we finally found one that the whole group was able to settle on.

The beautifully glorious suspend sound effect matched the credits of our film perfectly, giving just the eerie tone we had been looking for all along. Having the right sound within out opening made ALL the difference, it took regular, slightly creepy scenes to the next level, and made them chilling.

DaVinci💔💔💔

After finishing up on the filming/ production process of our film, we decided to give DaVinci Resolve, an online media editing tool a shot. As a group we quickly realized that filming and production- very fun, editing- not so much....

 

 We started our editing process by using DaVinci, as we believed it would help to make our film look the most professional. Before we could even being to think about editing, however, we once again ran into a large issue, that being that we were having a hard time transferring all of our footage to our laptops without it losing its quality, not only that, but, it was taking forever.

 Once we finally got it all to load, we realized just how overwhelming it all felt. The hundreds of tools, settings, and nature of the app felt more like an obstacle when we all just wanted to piece the film together, before beginning to work on all other aspects of the editing process.

 Although it is a truly amazing app, it felt like it want working for our team specifically as it felt like far more work then it had to be. And finally, after a long struggle, we decided to rethink our original approach, and go for something simpler. Although it felt unusable for the large clips, and overwhelming, we will be going back to DaVinci for more professional, in depth editing, as well as for use in our smaller details.

Filming!!!

 Today's THE day. Despite previous issues, and many obstacles, we have successfully begun the filming process.

 We decided to start later in the day, as we are producing a horror film, which typically take place during the night, and often rely on the nighttime atmosphere for the overall ambience of the film. However, when we met up, the sun was still out, do, we decided to instead focus on creating our horror movie shown at the beginning of the film.  As you can see below, I was the unlucky one who was sacrificed for the said film!

 After filming the mini- movie, we decided to create the blood splatter effect seen in the bathroom by our male lead, trying to make it look as realistic as possible. We made sure to place it all carefully to ensure all details were perfect enough to cause the feeling of true horror within our opening, and ultimately, our film.

We then decided to use the light to our advantage, and set up the kitchen for its part in the film, finding the knives and making sure that we lined them all up right, as well as deciding which knife exactly we would have our main character pick up, and use to "kill". We all felt as though small details such as this mattered, since they would ultimately help to tell our story visually, a medium which is important in our film, especially seeing as there is very little spoken throughout the opening.

After we had the set looking its most fabulous, we decided to finally begin the filming process, one which took us well over 3 hours, but with the variety of shots, and scenes which we collected (about 4 minutes total), I am very satisfied with the outcome, and the suspense, as well as tensions felt throughout our scenes. We now will start the next phase of our process: editing! where everything will come together and ultimately make an amazing final product.

Transforming an average living room into a set of horrors

  Filming a film opening with a tight budget of approximately $0 can be difficult, but it is not impossible. Since we're currently having delays on our filming schedule, I thought it best to talk about how exactly me and my group plan on transforming our set, which is a living room- kitchen- bathroom space, into an appropriate set for a horror movie.

 Before I can begin, you first want to make sure to take note of the size and layout of the living room area, to know exactly how much room there is for camara movement, it is also important to look around for pre-existing features of the home that can be used to enhance the atmosphere, such as old furniture, melted candles, or even a creaky floorboard. Lastly, It is important to note the lighting within the set, and how it can be controlled, for example, the set we are using is very open, and has many windows, so, me and my group can only film during the nighttime, as the daylight would interrupt out scene and the ambience we are looking to create.

 It is also important to make the living room LOOK like a horror set, which can be done by mismatching random objects around the house, which can make a space feel unsettling. For our specific project, we also need to use effects such as fake blood stains in the bathroom, so the careful placement of that needs to be completed as well.

 We will also be using low-key lighting, like candles and small lamps to create a moody effect on the atmosphere. Its also important to consider the sound effects used, not just in the editing stage, but during the filming process as well- this includes a creaky door, floorboard, wind, or in our case, the horror going on the in the background of our main couples date, on the TV.

 Finally, with some creative touches, a living room can become the set of a horror movie easily, even without an extensive budget. The use of lighting, props, and different elements of sound can turn an ordinary space into something straight out of a horror movie (literally!!).

Delayed Filming

 Today was supposed to be our first day of filming, but, unfortunately, we had a bit of an issue. Our male lead within the film, was grounded, and is now unable to film/ be apart of our opening. Although I am aware that within the sphere of filmmaking, unexpected issues and challenges happen all the time, having to recast a lead role seems to be on the larger side of the spectrum. 

Instead of panicking, me and my group took this as an opportunity to refine the character, and maybe even potentially improve the film, and so the recasting begins...

Since horror films rely heavily on emotions, especially their expression, choosing the right ator as a replacement is crucial. As a group, we decided to line up some priorities for us, and what we deem as non-negotiables in a leading actor within our opening.

Firstly, we want to make sure he has a solid emotional range, in order to convey the feelings of fear, paranoia, and psychological depth, something which is essential in our opening. Along with this, we want the character to be able to have strong reactions through their body language. And the obvious, our actor must have a bit of chemistry with our other lead, and fit into the openings dynamic, or else the rest of the opening will be ruined.

Although we may also have to slightly adjust our script to better fit the new actor, I doubt this will be a large issue, as the script was pretty egeneral, and meant to fit all kinds of actors.

I would also like to emphasize that, although annoying, recasting is not the end of the world! A number of horror films have successfully had to recast their characters, and continued to be equally successful. For example, In the Exorcist, the role of Father Karras was originally supposed to go to another actor, but Jason Miller took over, and successfully created an interesting character, alongside a very successful movie.

Another key example is from the classic horror film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, in where the iconic Leatherface had to be recast, but the new actors performance continued to maintain the originals terrifying presence.

All in all, rather then seeing this recast as a setback, I choose to see it as an opportunity to improve my opening, and further elevate my final product through the use of fresh energys, better chemistry, and an even better performance.

Getting Bloody

  In order to prepare for filming my project, me and my group realized that we were going to need blood, and lots of it at that!

 For the opening scene of our film opening, we planned to start off with the main couple watching a movie, and in order to make our lives easier (and not have to go through the process of getting permission to include another film in ours), we all decided we would create that scene ourselves. Since we planned to make it a murder scene, part of the issue at hand was figuring out the overall logistics for how we would create it, without actually hurting one another. When we went to talk to our teacher, and ask her for advice on how to make fake blood, she went a step further and provided us with some she had leftover from halloween time.

Our other concern, mainly, was the logistics of the scene, and how to go about making a kill scene, with an effective budget of $0.00. After a trip through the internet, as well as a review of my media studies notes, I came up with a number of way to execute the scene.

#1) Using angles to our advantage, we may be able to show the victim being stabbed, by assuring we cut away at the last minute, as opposed to showing the weapon hitting the victim, this allows audiences imaginations to automatically fill in the blanks, while creating a risk- free way of filming a kill scene. We can also go ahead and use POV shots, from both the victim and the killers POV, increasing tensions within the audience, while distracting form the fact that no actual harm is being done within the scene. Another possible way we can film it is by shooting against the light, in order to create a stabbing or slashing effect through shadows.

 

#2) Another important factor is the overall LOOK of the blood. For example, to emphasize the gore of a kill scene, I am going to fill a spray bottle with fake blood, in order for the blood splatter to look more realistic. We are also going to pre-pour blood on the clothing, so that the blood loss looks more realistic. And, using the small blood dropper that I have, I'm going to drip a small amount of blood out of my mouth, to recreate the look of internal bleeding, a common injury associated with stabbing.

#3) Editing wise, the use of fast cuts in order to not linger on the attack are crucial, along with the fact that the fast cuts help to create chaos, and realism. Also, sound design can become our best friends through the use of special sound effects (squelch, crunch), the sounds can either be made by us, using foley, or can be found on an online database of copyright free sounds. 

Finally, the importance of  good acting, with painful facial expressions is vital, especially when paired up with all other elements of the scene- such as the sound, editing, and angles.

setting the stage (or set, with props!!!)

 Within horror films, props and set design play a crucial role in establishing a mood, storytelling, and creating tension within audiences. The smallest of details can contribute to audiences fears, such as a drop of blood, or even a flickering light. When carefully thought out, props can help to create an immersive "world" in which a film takes place.

 For example: Small and cluttered spaces can create a feeling of claustrophobia, while large, empty spaces give feelings of isolation.

 vs. 

Using broken, old, worn down furniture, along with dusty objects makes the setting feel eerie and forgotten.

Usually, props can also be used to create some symbolism, such as a creepy empty swing, or a broken clock, all of which hint to viewers about a dark meaning associated with the items.

Also depending on the different style of horror, different subgenres rely on various visual styles. Supernatural horror tends to rely on more Gothic symbols, candles, and religious symbols (as seen in Insidious),

while slasher films rely more on isolation, cabins, basements, and streets( as seen in Halloween),

 Psychological horror films tend to use more elements of clean, minimalistic spaces, with strange- yet subtle distortions (such as in Black Swan).

Props usually help to define characters, build suspense, and create iconic moments within horror. 

Some more common horror props include dolls and mannequins, mirrors, blood and gore( severed limbs, rotting corpses), and a simple household item turned deathly- such as a knife, a phone, or even a chair.

For our film, we decided to DIY some of our props by using methods such as fake blood, burning old candles so they look used, and shopping at thrift stores to get the most authentic creepy props that we could.

In order to control fear within our audiences, we use different elements such as hidden threats, like an unsettling object within the background which is barely noticeable (very well done in hereditary) 

Another way to do this is with a shifting environment, done through flickering lights, moving shadows (something which we have already planned to incorporate into our film), and also, contrast, which can be used in opposition to a horrifying situation, making it even more scary.

Finally, In order to make a horror film great, or in my case, an opening, i plan to incorporate the element of props and set design in order to create an atmosphere of dread and unease.

dun, dun, duuuuunnnn....

 Sound design is one of the most vital, and effective tools within horror films. This element is used often in movies like "A Quiet Place", where the silence is unsettling, and in "Psycho" Where the string stabs create fear within audiences, showing that audio has the power to dictate audiences emotions, psychologically.

Link to hear the sound effect: https://memesoundeffects.com/psycho-sound-effect/

While I cant include evidence of the sound in "A Quiet Place", or rather, lack thereof, i'm sure you can imagine the absolute silence, which after an hour and a half of, begins to make audiences unsettled.

For my opening, I plan to use a combination of ambient noises, as well as unsettling sound effects, such as the traditional "horror" sound. A low, droning background sound creates tension within audiences, especially when pierced by sudden, sharp noises such as a creaking door or footsteps, which will be used to unnerve viewers. 

I will also incorporate moments of silence, strategically, in order to allow suspense to build before delivering a good scare. By crafting a good audio to backup my film, I intend to heighten fear with elements other then visuals.

Sets and props

 Sets and props within horror films tend to often play as much of a role in the movies storytelling, as the characters themselves do. This is shown in more classic horror films like "The Shining", where the use of large, empty spaces are used to invoke the feeling of isolating within viewers, and in the movie "Halloween", where the set use of a regular suburban home is used to evoke the feeling of how horror can inve even the most "normal" homes.

For my own horror movie opening, I want to create a setting that includes both elements of reality, as well as unsettlement. I want to use the same effect used in "Halloween", emphasizing that such a seemingly normal setting could be so sinister, making is slightly unsettling. The location will be dimly lit, which we will accomplish with scattered furniture, making the setting feel empty. Props like candles, dusty picture frames, and strange symbols throughout the house will be used to add layers of dread. By keeping our set realistic, and yet eerie, I can create a space which will immediately put the audience on edge.