Media opening script

Media opening script

(No dialogue should be used in the opening, except for non-diegetic music as dialogue counteracts the fear created by the music and/or silence)

It starts with a black screen, and a straight cut to a hospital bed with some people trying to restrain an infected, non diegetic sounds playing, short out bursts of music to connote intensity.

Titles appear of screen as the shot switches from various outbreak catastrophes.

A fade to black shot is used to show a mid shot of a man with his head in his hands against a blood stained wall.

 (There should be no sound in this scene as the silence connotes isolation and abandonment.)

The camera should slowly zoom in on the man as very sudden shot changes to infected people events, until all you can see is his face covered by his hands. (As the camera zooms closer to the man the shots become more frequent and intense)

A loud screech or significant sound is heard as the man lifts his head to show bright red eyes.

Loud fast paced music is heard as the title appears on the screen.

The fast paced music continues as the scene changes to various people being killed and infected, preferably in slow motion, names and developers appear on screen and get splattered with blood as the people get infected.

Institutions

What production company?

For our production company, we have chosen Universal studios. It is one of the 6 main film production companies, and is also a very high grossing company.

Why are they suitable?

The reason that they are suitable is because they have a history of funding and producing films of all genres’, of which the horror genre is a large part. Because of this, they will provide essential financial backing and also experience.

What other films have they successfully produced?

Other horror films that they have produced successfully include Van Helsing, which grossed 300 million. Alongside this, there was the well know Psycho saga, with the first film being a huge success, grossing 32 million, which compared to its budget of £800000 was a lot.

Why is that significant for your film?

The reason that this is significant for our film is because they would be able to give us the experience they have gained from releasing high grossing horror films. Because of this, there is a better chance of our film being a bigger success.

What distribution company?

For our distribution company, we stayed with Universal studios. This is because Universal studios is a vertically integrated company, which means that it contains all of the different companies required for producing and distributing a film in its own company.

Why is this significant?

This is significant because it means that our film will be made quicker, as there is less time with having to negotiate deals with other companies. As well as this, they receive all of the money from the film, which means that they can afford to put more finances into it.

What other films have they distributed?

Other films distributed by Universal Studios include The Strangers, a recent film which grossed 82 million. As well as this, there is Drag me to Hell, which again, grossed 90 million, three times as much as it’s budget.

How does that tie in well with your film?

This ties in well with the film as there have been many horror films which have been both produced and distributed by Universal Studios, so they have experience in this area. As well as this they will be able to distribute it effectively to the target audience, and will be able to get the most amounts of people in to watch the film as possible.

Generic code powerpoint

Questionniare

Tables of findings

Codes and Conventions	Findings	Textual evidence
Stock settings	-          Desolated -          Old structures -          Wooded areas -          Psychopath’s hideout -          Dusk	Dracula; large, dark castle The Wolfman; woods, night The Shining; desolated landscapes
Stock characters	Monsters; - ghosts -          Vampires -          Zombies -          Aliens -          Psychopaths -          Werewolves -          Demons Protagonist	Carriers, Dawn of the Dead ; zombies The Shining, Silence of the Lambs; psychopath The Wolfman, Dracula; werewolf Protagonist; tatty clothes, blood stained. Everyday people
Themes	-          Fear -          Paranoia -          Claustrophobia -          Religion -          Murder	Non-diegetic music; build tension Close ups; show emotions (fear) Dracula; asylum, claustrophobic The Others; paranoid of ghosts                        Religion Silence of the Lambs; murder
Narrative	-          Cliff-hanger -          Unknown fate -          Protagonists usually win	The Unborn, The Wolfman; cliff-hanger Carriers; unknown fate
Iconography	-          Blood -          Cobwebs -          Candles -          Guns	Dracula, The Wolfman; blood, cobwebs, candles Dracula; blood is treasured, shows opposites of people. Blood isn’t feared but is desired Carriers, Resident Evil, The Others, The Wolfman; guns

	Findings	Example
Create an enigma	-          Voiceover -          Non-diegetic music -          Close ups	Voiceover;  Dracula Eerie, creepy music; IT Close ups; Sleepy Hollow, Final Destination, From Hell
Introduce key characters	-          Costume -          Camera shots	Costume; Van Helsing Camera shots; Shelter, Van Helsing
Introduce key themes	-          Close ups of emotions -          Close ups of objects	Emotions; Van Helsing, The Others (fear) Objects; Final Destination, Sleepy Hollow (knifes, connote danger)
Introduce genre	-          Non-diegetic music -          Lighting, low and dark	Music; The Shining, From Hell Lighting; Final Destination, Sleepy Hollow
Use of titles	-          Splattered in blood -          Black background -          Red writing -          Fade in and out	Dawn of the Dead; splattered in blood Black background; IT, From Hell, Shelter Red writing; IT, From Hell Fade in and out; IT, Shelter

Questioniare

Questionnaire

Circle appropriate answer

1)      What gender are you?

Male                                        Female

2)      How old are you?

12-15                 16-18               18-21              22-30              30-40                40+

3)      What is your favourite genre of film?

Rom-com              Sci-fi                Horror                   Thriller                  Comedy                Romance              Period Drama

4)      Do you like horror films?

Yes                                 No

5)      Which of these horror films have you seen?

Sleepy Hollow                 The Others                      28 Days Later                        The Shining                    Final Destination                  None

6)      Which of these horror films is your favourite?

Sleepy Hollow                 The Others                      28 Days Later                        The Shining                    Final Destination            None

7)      How important are each of these elements for making a film scary?

Rate each on a scale of 1-5, 1 being not important, 5 being very important

Circle one number per element

Music                1 ------ 2 ------ 3 ------ 4 ------ 5

Lighting             1 ------ 2 ------ 3 ------ 4 ------ 5

Suspense           1 ------ 2 ------ 3 ------ 4 ------ 5

Characters         1 ------ 2 ------ 3 ------ 4 ------ 5

Plot                      1 ------ 2 ------ 3 ------ 4 ------ 5

8)      How often do you watch horror films?

More than once a week                         Once a month                            Rarely

9)      Have you seen a silent horror film?

Yes                          No

10)  Why do you watch horror films?

To be scared                        For entertainment                    Find them funny

11)  What do you do in your spare time?

Watch films                         Listen to music                      Sports                        Arts

13) Do you read horror stories?

Yes                            No

14) If yes, do you enjoy them?

Yes                            No

15) Which do you find more effective?

Black and white horror films                              Colour horror films

16) Which ‘monster’ do you most like to see in a horror film?

Werewolf                        Zombie                  Vampire                        Ghost                    Psychopath

17) Which of these do you enjoy most?

Horror films set in the past                               Horror films set in the present                       Horror films set in the future

18) What do you expect to see in the opening of a horror film?

A death                   Introduction of characters                   Introduce a story

19) What catches your attention when watching the opening of a horror film?

Music                     Titles                    Voice over                  Characters

20) What sort colours would you expect to see on a horror film opening?

Black/grey/red/white                                Pink/purple/yellow/green

Van Helsing opening (2004)

Sound

-         Music is quick and dramatic

-         People with pitchforks are shouting, angry

-         Thunder and lightning – dramatic and scary

Setting

-         Woods, people with pitchforks running through at night

-         Castle, very large and dark, old

-         Transylvania

Camera movement

-         Crane over woods to show the amount of people running through

-         Tilt to show the height and size of the castle

-         Pan and tilt to show Dracula’s quick and un-noticeable movements from one level of the room to another

Camera shot

-         High angle shot to show the number of people trying to get into the castle

-         Extreme close up of eyes, hands and mouth of monster; look old and dead

-         High angle shot of the room; emphasize the size of it

Costume

-         Dracula; black clothing, posh and expensive – mysterious and evil

-         Posh, well-dressed man in the castle with Dracula – suggests working together

-         Men with pitchforks look poorly dressed, unclean

Editing

-         Opening is in black and white; shows it’s historical

-         Lightning flashes on Dracula’s face and it changes to a vampire like face and back again - dramatic

The Others (2001)

Characters

• Grace
• Anne, Grace's daughter
• Nicholas, Grace's son, Anne's younger brother
• Mrs Mills, the new housekeeper
• Mr Tuttle, the new gardener
• Lydia, the new maid
• Charles, Grace's husband, went into the war years earlier

Settings

·         Family home, large and expensive

·         Foggy, mysterious

Sound

·         Film begins with voice over of Grace, telling children a story

·         Mysterious, creepy music

·         Music becomes dramatic

·         Quiet house, whispers

·         Quietness is creepy

·         Sad music when husband returns

·         Ghostly whispers

·         Anne humming; creepy

Lighting

·         Low lighting, create shadows

·         Dark, can’t see much

·         Candlelight

·         High key lighting at the end, heavenly

Costume

·         Grace; well dressed, perfect hair

·         Expensive clothes

·         Old fashioned

·         Anne; white night gown, ghostly

·         White dress and veil, ghostly

Camera shots

·         Long shot of house, large and old

·         Long shot, Nicholas in room alone; emphasize loneliness

·         Long shot, home at night; foggy and ghostly

·         Close up, Grace’s face; focus of fear

·         Low angle shot of ceiling; doesn’t know what’s upstairs

·         Close up, photographs of dead people in photo album

·         Close up, Grace’s hands shaking and nervously rubbing them together

·         Long shot of house surrounded by fog

·         High angle shot, Anne pretending to be ghost

·         Close up of Anne playing with puppet, humming

·         Close up of old lady’s hand playing with puppet in Anne’s place

·         Mid shot, Grace looking through gate; prisoner in own home

·         High angle shot, Anne in fog at night in white nightdress; ghostly

·         Close up, photograph of the 3 servants dead

·         Close up, Anne, scared

·         Close ups of crosses

Camera movement

·         Camera rotates from close up to mid shot of Grace waking up; things getting back to normal after nightmare

·         Zoom in, Grace is becoming more frightened

·         Tracking, follow her every move

·         Crane, from top of gate; see surroundings

·         Tilt, follow Grace’s feet up the stairs

Themes

·         Religion; references and stories from the bible

·         Close ups of crosses