Evaluation - Question 2

How does your media product present particular social groups?

To present our character, we want her to look creepy and scary so we got our inspiaration from The Grudge movie character. This is because, the character from The Grudge is presented as creepy, long hair and scary. Likewise, our character has long hair and in order for her to look scary, we used make up such as eye shadow and mascara then smudged it.

However, even though these two characters look the same way, they have different personalities. For example, The Grudge's character is presented scary as a whole and she kills people. On the other hand, our character is a lonely isolated woman feeling vulnerable and depressed.

There isn't much or a particular social group as only one character is shown in the title sequence and pretty much expected she will be the main person throughout the film. This film will attract female audience because our main character so female audience can relate to the character easily. In addition, it will attract male audience because they are masculine so they would like scary movies. Furthermore, I would say the age group for this film will be 15 age and above.

Evaluation - Question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

For this part of the evaluation, i will compare 9 still shots from my title sequence (Four Walls) along with 9 still shots from the title sequence i was inspired by (Se7en).

Four Walls

Se7en

As a group, we were inspired be Se7ev's title sequence so our title sequence is quite similar to it. The objective of our aim was to build tension, create excitment and at the same time, make it suspenseful.

Compared to Se7ven, we have used similar techniques such as mise-en-scene and camera work in order to make it appealing towards the audience. In our 9 still shots, the main character was introduced and everything around involves her as she walk around and self harming herself. Whereas in Se7en, it is quite unclear who the character is and whether if that person is planning something and this make the audience questions themselves such as 'what is going on?' On the other hand, there are few similarities. For example, the fonts in both of the title sequences are white and it both show notes with writing on it.

Our camera work is a lot similar compared to Se7en's camera work. For example, we used many extreme close up shots to descibe the character as a whole. Likewise, in Se7en, it has a lot of extreme close up shots on the hands as the person is writing. However, in our title sequence, we also used other angles and different types of shots to emphasise certain things, for example, we used tiliting to descibe the character's personality as she suffer a psychological disorder.

For the mise-en-scene, we used an epmty space, dark lighting along with shadows to give it a spooky feeling and also to make it suspenseful.

Putting the sound together was not easy as we had to find the suitable music in or for it to match our title sequence. We also listened to Se7en's soundtrack as it is very squeaky so we added the squeakyness in our soundtrack. In the end, our soundtrack has a slow paced, a lot of squeakyness, drumbeats and some extra instrumentals.

For the props, it is also similar to Se7en as we see slicing hands using a blade unlike our one as we used a rusty scissors. we also used fake blood to make it very effective.

Overall, our inspiration is from the Se7en title sequence therefore, it is very similar as we used similar camera work, mise-en-scene, soundtrack and also props. In the end we managed to make it create the excitement and build tension and also, make it suspenseful.

Evaluation - Q1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Thriller openings uses forms and conventions- which associates with the theme "Thriller" and the expectations from it. Thriller movies aim to build suspense and tension, which the target audience will find appealing.

For example, conventions of a thriller opening could include:

• Introduction of a main character- either a protagonist or the villain- building up mystery and questions what may happen later on in the plot


• The music suiting the sequence of camera shots or edits, which could either be slow paced and creepy to build suspense or be upbeat to build up the tension of what may happen next


• Making the audience question what may happen later on in the movie


• The use of lighting would be important to emphasize what kind of themes would relate to the movie- for example, the use of low dark lightening can suggest that it can give a creepy, scary, suspenseful source of action.
  

In our group's Opening Title Sequence, we had used these conventions- to strongly imply that it is a thriller type movie, than any other type of genre.

Our use of mise-en-scene had suggested the image of 'dark, scary, mental' state- with the use of the character as well as the setting and our use of props. The actress, gave the assumption that she is a ghostly, mentally insane person- in which our use of mise-en-scene had emphasized this even more so. The music suited the action well, it sounded disorientating but upbeat, to provide pace. It contrasted- the pace of the action sequence was slow paced but the music was upbeat. It is serious and dark-hearted, which is vital to make it known that it is a thriller movie. We established the setting by introducing the character in a dark room with little lighting. The different camera shots and edits makes the whole sequence look mysterious. The editing is made to look creepy and disorientating, but in addition to this it also looks professional as low budget companies have less editing.

Our thriller Opening Title Sequence is inspired by Se7en.

• As you can see, it has extreme close ups and it establishes a setting that gives off a obsessive feeling. There are extreme closeups of a man's finger tips, which is doing disturbing things such as slicing off his skin. We also see him write letters and opening pages of books, and quick images of disturbing photos- which in comparison to our title sequence we additionally used disturbing images as well as having close ups of her writing.
  
• We see the man cut out certain words like 'God' or writes obsessively- and even doing weird 'abnormal' things that gives off a creepy feeling- the audience knows that this person must be the villain. Compared to our Four Walls, we additionally made our actress Thao do eerie actions- for example when she is looking directly at the camera and jilting her head from side to side. We can assume as a audience that she would be the antagonist in the film.
  
• There is a scene where the persons looks like he is giving a paper cut to himself- which uses screeches and you see a quick edit of blood, which in my opinion gives me shivers because of that action. On the other hand, Thao is seen 'cutting' herself with scissors which made the audience in the cinema feel queasy when watching that.
• The music at first is quite slow paced but then it gradually builds up- in the meantime there are occasional screeches and sci-fi sounds that build up the tension and suspense in the sequence. In Four Walls we have music that is quite steadily paced out too, with additional sound over lays being heard in the music as it progresses on.
  
• In 'Se7en', there are quick cut edits that are jumpy- in addition to that there are lots of 'slugs' and overlays of titles and other effects on top of the original sequence- which in Four Walls we also have these aspects.
  

Therefore, our thriller opening sequence challenges Se7en's title sequence too, as we was inspired by it and it has many similar features and conventions to a thriller movie.

Other thriller openings however, can establish the actual setting, without the use of characters such as Arlington Road. This sets an atmosphere which gives off a eerie and disorientating point of view which sets up the suspense.

From our selection of 9 still shots, it looks almost to a professional standard. Viewers will assume that it is a thriller/horror type title sequence, with its selection of pictures and the mise en scene it gives off. It looks serious, tense, and it establishes a dark tone.

These suit the conventions of a thriller opening.

Evaluation (Question 8)

Rough Cut - Changes

Analysis of Rough Cut Edit

There was many changes in the rough cut edit of the Four Walls title sequence.

Unfortunately, we lost the storyboard that we had created for the edited version for the final product of Four Walls.

In the Rough Cut, we decided as a group that we wanted a steady or even fast paced title sequence, because it goes well with the soundtrack that me and Thao created. However, the sequence was too fast and the minimum time limit had to be 1 minute 45 seconds- in which ours was 1 minute 20 seconds long. We needed to make shots slower by using the slow-motion edit.

It already looks really good at that stage- as we accomplished making good 'slugs' and the sequence already looks effective- even without the soundtrack and the titles. Even if it is slowed down, the sound track that I created will still go well.
The video transitions already look good- the fades go well- but we need to extend it longer in order for the titles to fit nicely between the shots and on the shots.

As at the point I did not completely finish the soundtrack and they Czarina and Dennetta equally did not finish their editing, as we was seated in our separate computers we would play the sound and watch the title sequence to see how effective it looks.

I had to wait till they finished completely with editing of the Four Walls before I could upload the finish piece onto the Soundtrack Pro so I could do some finishing touches.

Rough Cut Edit

This is our Rough cut edit (excluding sound) of our idea for a Thriller Title Sequence of which we named 'Four Walls.'

Evaluation (Question 1)

In what ways does your media product use,develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Seven 9 still shots

Four Walls 9 still shots

In our Title sequence film we have used and developed the forms and conventions of real media products instead of challenging them. In comparison with the real forms and conventions of a real media product, our aim for our title sequence film is to build suspense and tension.

I would compare our title sequence film with Seven as we have used similar camera works, mise-en-scene and sound. However, looking at the 9 still shots of Seven the character is not being shown in full instead it is oblivious to the viewers. This establishes a question of 'who' the character is. On the other hand, In the 9 still shots of Four Walls, the character is immediately introduce as she is the main focal point of the story. Her actions, gestures and facial expressions hints on what the film is going to be about.

The camera works are indeed quite similar if you look at both of the title sequences. Seven mostly uses extreme close ups to emphasise a sequence of things that could be hinting a meaning to the viewers' mind. Whereas in our title sequence four walls, there might be several used of extreme close ups which is similar with seven, but we have also used other camera shots/angles, such as tilting and long shots. I would say that we have developed the use of camera works as we have used a mixture of camera shots/angles. This is valid in our title sequence as it describes the mood of the character. For example titlting express the sub-genre of our title sequence film which is pyschological thriller. It describes the mind set of the character.

The convention of a thriller mise-en-scene would be dark, creepy and etc. and we followed this convention by using a dark lighting and shadows, this sets a tone and feeling to the viewers.

Seven is also our inspiration when it comes to sound, the eerieness and squeekiness start inspired us on how to start off our soundtrack. We started off our soundtrack with a slow pace as it introduces the character, then it changes to a quick pace until it gets to the upbeat part of the music which emphasises on the climax of the shot.

Looking at the props that are use on Seven and Four walls there are a few similarities. The slicing of hands using a blade but instead in our title sequence we have used a rusty scissors does look very effective as it would make the viewers cringe. The mise-en-scene, props, such as the writings, polarois photos, and blood hints a story which is similar to Seven.

Overall, the use of camera works, mise-en-scene and sounds gives the viewers an insight of what is going on in the film. However, the way that the shots and characters are not specifically shown in full, our title sequence establishes a question of who? (who is this character?) what? (what is her role?) why? (why is she trap in an isolated room?).