Evaluation - Q1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

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

Shot One

The first shot we took was an establishing shot. This sets the scene of which the horror movie will take place. We decided on filming this in low lighting and at night to let the audience know the events will happen on the night. Shots like this are used in the majority of horror movies that are taking place in a house. A house is a strange convention of horror as this is where people feel comfortable and safe. By making a horror movie in a house, we reach out to all audiences as everyone has a home, and we make that home into something for the audience to fear. We want the audience to take the horror movie home with them and let them feel scared in their own comfort zones. This is all about relating to the audience. 'Insidious (2010) uses the same type of opening sequence as ours. As you can see, a title appears with an establishing shot of the house.











We added music as well to this scene as well as background noise. Insidious also uses music in the title sequence to show the audience what sort of movie it will be. These consist of off key violins and creepy music.

Shot 5

In this scene, we decided to show the Mother cutting up and apple with a knife, in which later she cuts herself. This foreshadows danger and tension. Many horror movies foreshadow events such as Scream (1996). Knives are seen as conventional horror weapons and used a lot by the villains. We decided on an apple as it symbolises 'Forbidden Fruit' linking with religion, with Adam and Eve. In the story, Adam and Eve got poisoned by the apple which related to the movie, that the family is going to be essentially 'poisoned' with evil. Another movie relating with this scene is, as stated before, Scream (1996).

Here we see the damsel-in-distress holding a knife. This is an unlikely image, throwing the audience off of the story. We decided to link our opening scene with how the damsel-in-distress is depicted early on, in our case, the Mother.





Shot 12

In this scene, the horror conventions start to come obvious such as the loud mysterious footsteps. This convention is seen in many movies as it creates tension. The footsteps have no identity which makes audiences scared of the unknown. Also, we have made them more louder, making them slightly like a jump scare. The extreme close-up of the eyes is used a lot in horror movies also, as this is the key to emotion. By the sporadic eye movements, we know the character is confused and slightly fearful. Eyes are shown a lot in horror movies also as that is where the audience look when analysing emotion. 

Shot 14

Many horror movies feature a filter of blue over each shot. This gives the unnatural mood and makes the audience feel cold. Horror movies do this to give a specific atmosphere. 
We added a slightly blue tint to give the same feeling. This type of filter is seen in Silence of the Lambs;











Shot 20

This scene is a lot like the wardrobe scene in  The Conjuring. This is relatable as many horror movies features wardrobe as as humans we are scared of the unknown, so we are naturally scared of closed wardrobes as they tend to be dark too.