Questionnaire

This is an example of the questionnaire i handed out to 20 people.
From the results I discovered that most of the people preferred the sub-genre Splatter with 50%, whereas Teen Horror and Slasher were tied with 10% each. This shows that viewers are most likely to watch very graphic horror films.
60% of the people preferred the horror movie SAW over the rest of the films. 40% of that 60% were female showing that females prodominantly watch SAW over any other horror.
The results for the scariest antagonist were very close, Michael Myers was the most popular recieving 25% of the vote. The Antagonist from Stephen King's Misery recieved no votes at all. This shows that voters would prefer an antagonist with a mask as something symbolic.
100% of the voters wanted to see the antagonist at the beginning of the film, introducing the antagonist to keep viewers hooked.
75% of the voters enjoyed watching monster fodder at the beginning of the film, to show them how the antagonist kills.
55% of the voters preferred dramatic music of any genre. The least popular was atonal synth which recieved 5% of the votes; showing viewers prefer a score rather than anything experimental like Creep.

Production and Distribution Companies

Production

A production company is responsible for the physical production of the film as well as the funding. If a company is small they may have to be forced to sell there product to a bigger studio for distribution.
Twisted Pictures is a studio that made SAW II as when as the first in the franchise. When making SAW II, the company used synergy to work alongside another small production company, Evolution Entertainment to produce the movie. This is because it is a small and new company itself so synergy was a good option.

Distribution

Distribution companies are mainly in control of marketing, advertising and delivering films to theatres. SAW II was distributed by Lions Gate Films because the two production companies were too small to distribute it. Lions Gate Films have also contributed to other films such as American Psycho, Crash and Hostel. Scream and Creep were distributed by different companies; Scream was by Dimension Films and Creep by the UK Film Council.

Target Audience

Age Range - When targeting an audience, age is important because different ages prefer different things. When attracting a specific age group, the age of the actors is important as it will reflect on the audiences. In a film set at teenagers, usually the protagonists will be teenagers themselves. However this isn't always the case as younger viewers may be attracted to cartoons with adult voice over actors. The time period which the film is set in can determine the age range aswell, for example if it was a period drama it may attract an older audience.

In horror the age range can be universal depending on the film. In Scream, the age range will probably be between 18 and 25 because its a teen horror. In Creep and SAW II, the age range may be between 20 and 35 because of the age of the actors and the more mature sub-genres.

Gender Groups - When determining which gender would be attracted to the film, it is important to observe the gender of the actors and what it is which attracts each gender. Typically it an be said that if there is more males it will prodominantly be seen by males, and if there are more females then more females will watch it. Yet each gender has its own specific tastes. In horror, females will be looking for a strong female character who women can relate to. Whereas stereotypically men will look out for action, gore and sexually objectified women.

In Scream, SAW II and Creep, they can all be viewed by both genders as they have something for them both.

Ethnic Groups - To attract a wide variety of ethnicities, it is important to involve a wide variety of ethnicities and cultures in the films. This is because certain cultures can relate to a character if they are that culture. Thats why in films mainly dominated by white people, there will always be atleast one person with black or Asian heritage.

What makes an effective horror opening sequence?

Micro Features

• Sound - diagetic and non-diagetic sounds to manipulate the mood and evoke tension. A horror can use parallel music to relate to whats going on in the scene, or use contrapuntal to create the impression theres a threat of screen. In the title sequence of Creep, it uses very experimental music mixed with train sounds to create a horrific piece that represents the subway. Typical horror sounds include screams and echoed sounds to create isolation.



• Lighting - lighting is a key element in film anyway, yet in horror there are different lighting techiques to evoke horror. In some films can use colour filters like red or green, this is seen in SAW II where it uses a green filter to evoke gloom in the setting. Other films like The Strangers use a lot of filter and back light to create a lot of dark silhouette shapes on the screen creating paranoia. Lighting is also very important because one of the key characteristics in a typical horror movie is darkness.



• Camera Angles - different series of shots can be used for specific things in a horror opening. Hand held shots can be used effectively to evoke a sense of realism and create the feeling that the monster fodder/protagonist is being watched. Close ups are used to survey things which a key to the scene like a weapon, a reaction or an escape route. Establishing shots are used to portray isolated settings, like in Scream. A dutch angle is tilted shot and it can evoke insanity.



• Mise en Scene - this includes the setting, where props are, the characters actions and dialogue. The setting is important as it can evoke an different atmospheres like isolationism and claustrophobia. Probs can include weapons and devices which are vital to the storyline of the film. Characters and there actions on screen can be most important as they are acting out what the film is about.



• Editing - editing techniques are vital in any genre of film. In horror they can use quick cuts to maintain tension throughout a hook. It can use crosscutting to show actions of the protagonist and the antagonist. Montages can also be used to evoke a display of panic like in the opening of SAW II.

Macro Features

• Iconography - this is what is common in a typical horror film. For example, anything sharp would probably represent a weapon; in a slasher movie the knife would to main weapon used and feared by the protagonists. Clothing is important as it can hide the antagonists identity like a mask in Scream. In a setting, a full moon may be common iconography as well as an isolated setting. Iconography can also be vital in the opening of a horror film to introduce the genre of the film.



• Characters - in a typical horror film there will usually be a protagonist, an antagonist and monster fodder. Typically in some horror films like Creep and Scream the antagonist would be male and the protagonist female, with the female surviving at the end; known as the 'Last Girl Theory'. Yet also in those films, including SAW II, the film would begin by introducing the antagonist consuming monster fodder.

Specific Music Study: Batman (1989)

The Batman's soundtrack consists of mainly orchestral elements. However it uses more individual and spookier instruments such as a celeste. It is a piano-like instrument that creates high pitched chime suited for a gothic movies. Though this instrument is only used shortly in the piece(from 0.06 to 0.16), it could be used to create a more horrific sound meant for a more psychological antagonist.
Composed by Danny Elfman, who features minimalistic aspects in his compositions. He manages to create darker pieces of music mainly for Tim Burton films, such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Batman. At the beginning of the film, the composer manages to create a gothic yet heroic piece of music to suit Batman’s vigilante character, written in a minor key.

Case Study 3: SAW II

Micro Features

It firsty begins with the production titles. The scene begins with a close up on a light bulb hanging from a ceiling with a green filter, this adds a very isolated and gloomy atmosphere to the scene. It then pans across a dark space, which acts as a swipe transition, towards a close up on a vent; this could anticipate something is behind the vent like a camera. It then pans across the room to focus on a green filtered light on the wall; evoking a enclosed gloomy atmosphere then to a medium shot of a televison; emplying that a film will shown through that. It then hows a box with is door half broken off; hinting theres something in there which is significant to the scene. It then pans to a over the shoulder shot of a man pulling a small mirror toward him to reveal his eye been mutilated and he has a metal device on his neck; the blood and gore is a typical iconography of the horror genre, whilst the device represents torture. This sequence is like an establishing sequence showing the viewer the key things to focus on during the scene, they do not show a way of escape like a door only a vent.

It dwells on the monster fodders reactions in the mirror to evoke panic. The musci is diagetic and experimental to maintain the portrayal of panic. It then zooms out in a distorted way into an establishing shot of the room; showing him in the centre. It then pans to an overhead shot of the victim, this shows the viewer another view of the metal device, showing it is a mask filled with spikes. The victim is also looking up at this point showing more reaction shots of panic. It then shows a montage of quick, match on action shots from an overhead camera view. In each one it shows him screaming help or looking round for help; the montage shows that hes lost track of time and it also shows how helpless he is. At the end of the montage there is a extreme close up on the mask and its spikes. It then cuts to a hand held camera as he begins to stand up and walk around, the cuts remain quick to portray panic.

There is then a transition of a televisions white noise with a really quick shot of the puppet in a red filter, red representing blood and death. It then cuts to the televison which is now on, it then does shot/reverse shot between the monster fodder and the puppet on the television. The puppet tells him the 'game' he has to play to stay alive. On the television, it cuts to a medium shot of a man leaning over a man on a table and the voice of the antagonist tells him it's him. He tells him he needs a key to escape the trap and that he will give him a hint, the pace of his voice quickens to build more tension. The hint is a really quick shot of an x-ray with a key behind the eye; it is almost like a flash. This is done to evoke panic. It then goes onto to show a montage of distorted close up shots of him attempting to retrieve the key from his eye to continue the panic. The scene ends with the mask closing and killing him; with the main "SAW II" title proceeding afterward.

Macro Features

The genre is introduced in this scene as a gore/splatter horror, this is judged by the blood, the mutated eye and the climax where the mask closes on him. The antagonist Jigsaw is re-introduced as well as his phrase "i wanna play a game" continuing the franchise as a sequel to the original. The iconography used in this scene include;

• Green filter- evoking a gloomy atmosphere
• The scalpel- a device for cutting as well as a possible weapon
• "help" - commonly used in horror to evoke the sense of helplessness

Case Study 2: Creep

Micro Features

Firstly the production titles go on screen so the audience knows who made the film. The start of Creep consists of a lot of distorted close up images and credits; the writing shaking with a light going across as if they are windows on a train. The opening titles are heavily influenced by the subway as most of the movie consists in the London subway. The images feature a sepia filter making them very yellow, they are disturbing images of knives, blood and crime scenes; iconography of horror. The music throughout this sequence remains very contrapuntal and experiemental; mixing with subway sounds. The sequence features a lot of wipes and this mixed with the distortion creates an effective represention of a train passing. As it approaches the end of the title sequence it begins to feature images of a girl being chased with a hand held camera; as if the audience has a point of view of the antagonist. The music gradually becomes more screechy as it comes to the main title which features a trains breaks screeching in the background.

It then cuts to long shot of two men at the end of a sewer tunnel, it only reveals the two lights from their torches in the darkness at first. The darkness creates a sense of paranoia, also the tunnel is very claustrophobic and isolated; these are iconography of the horror genre. The diagetic discussion of human excrement creates a feeling of disgust and almost prepares the audience for scenes of a disturbing nature. In the same shot as they get closer to the camera one of them steps into a overhead light and the camera pans upward to reveal a sewer pipe with sewage hanging from it; as the 'new guy' picks the sewage from it, a load comes through as it cuts to a medium shot and this is done in a way to scare the audience. As the older man laughs there is a scream at the end of the tunnel, this is a contrast between comedy and horror, this also acts as a hook to get the audience interested in the scene.
They discover a new tunnel and they split up as one man explores the cave, this creates a sense of isolation. He is followed by a hand held camera to create a sense of realism, as he stumbles it switches to a point of view shot as he torch goes past and introduces the antagonist very briefly. The music then begins to play parallel, not very textured music as they is a sense of the unknown. The other man follows, the camera remains at the end of the tunnel watching him approach, as if the camera is a point of view of the antagonist. There is then another scream, and as the man walks past the tunnel in search of the source of the scream, a shadow quickly passes the camera and there is a high pitched, non-diagetic train bell sound; used to hook the audience and as a reference to trains. The man then finds the other one either injured or petrified looking at something which isnt revealed, it then cuts to a point of view shot with the mans headlamp guiding his vision. All sound cuts of for a few seconds as the camera stares into the darkness, then a women suddenly comes out of the wall screaming and covered in blood before being pulled away; this is the main hook in the scene. The scream then mixes into a dance song as it cuts to the next scene.

Macro Features
The genre is introduced immediately as a horror through the title sequence as it is very distorted and the images are very graphic. The non-diagetic music is lacks dynamics and experimental; it also mixes with screams and trains. The train influenced font animation acts as a hook as it represents a train passing. In the next scene the iconography is displayed through the darkness, blood, screaming, the unpleasantness of the sewage and the hooks throughout. It also introduces the monster fodder convention.