TODOROV'S THEORY

Todorov's narrative theory suggests that all narratives have a three part structure where they begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something occurs that disrupts this equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution- when equilibrium is restored. 

There are general steps that the narrative must follow in order to conform to this formula:

Step 1:The narrative starts with an equilibrium
Step 2:An action or character disrupts the equilibrium
Step 3:A quest to restore the equilibrium begins
Step 4:The narrative continues to a climax
Step 5:Resolution occurs and equilibrium is restored.

Unconventioanl narratives
Non-linear narratives and circular narratives have a structure that is not so straight forward. A non-linear narrative can move backwards and forwards in time usually using a flashback technique. For example in the film "500 days(of summer" the film follows a relationship but the audience sees flashforwards and flashbacks as the story progresses. 

A circular narrative may begin at the end of the story and work its way back to the origins of the story. The resolution and understanding of the narrative is generally only comprehended by the audience towards the end of the story.

Flashbacks
Flashbacks are used to give the audience additional information, most commonly in regards to the past of a character, which helps drive the narrative. Flashbacks also manipulate space and time.

Point of view shots
These give the audience the same view of the situation and action occurring as a character. An example of this would be a point of view shot of the shark from the Jaws movies. These shots are particularly effective in horror films from the point of the killer usually stalking the victim. Following them until they meet their fate.

Impossible posistions
These are camera shots that are designed to give unusual perspectives of the action unfolding on screen, this can be achieved through the likes of an aerial shot 

Priviledged spectator positions
This is where the camera places the audience in the position where the viewer sees certain aspects of the narrative that other characters cannot see. This is commonly used in murder and detective dramas where the audience know particular information that some of the characters may not know - making it clear who the villain is.

Enigma codes
This is an editing technique in which the camera shows only some of the narrative, leaving the audience with a sense of mystery as to where the narrative will go next.

Murder mystery and detective dramas use enigma codes to slowly reveal the narrative, with key information needed to solve the case saved until near the end of the narrative to create a thrilling conclusion.

Action codes
These are actions within the narrative that reveal to the audience what to expect as the narrative progresses, it relies on the idea of cause and effect.

PRODUCTION- MISE EN SCENE

Of course, a main element to include within our final film opening was mise en scene. We feel as though we have managed to accomplish this in many ways, including the mask, missing poster and other more implicit items throughout the sequence.

This video assists our explanation on how the use of small props and setting has an influence on how the audience views the character.

This video explains how the poster has a large influence on the rest of the film opening, and how the smallest added prop could change the entire plot.

FILM INSTITUTIONS

When we edit out final film opening, we will need to include a relevant film institution at the beginning as this will give the audience an insight to the film genre before it starts.
Of course, there are many different film institutions which could be relevant to our genre, so I have researched several possible institutions which we could use.

Warner Brothers

Founded in 1923, Warner Bros. Pictures are one of the most world renowned film institutions, creating between eighteen to twenty-two films per year. The institution involves a wide range of genres amongst the films which they release, therefore we could potentially use them for our film opening, however it would be better for us to find an institution which focuses on a more specific branch of genres.

20th century fox

20th Century Fox have a wide variety of genres also throughout their releases; however it could be argued that their main focus is on fantasy and occasionally action films commonly featuring binary good vs bad characters within them. The film institution most appeals to the age range of around 10+ years old, as although some themes within the films released are mature, they feature family appropriate themes mostly. I don't think we will use this institution as our film opening isn't what would be considered as 'family friendly' due to suggested and featured violent themes.

Universal

Universal Studios is a film studio which releases a broad genre of films, from children-friendly to horror, however there is a main focus amongst the institution of action, science fiction, and commonly horror, allowing a general age range of approximately 16 and up, obviously depending on the genre used. Universal could be appropriate, however part of our film opening features an urban drama style, thus may be too independent for the themes presented by universal.

Hammer

Hammer Pictures is a British film institution based in London, and was founded in 1934. The production company is well known for a gothic series ‘Hammer Horror’ films made from the mid-1950’s to 70’s. They are also renowned for such films as Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Mummy. The company has a main focus on the horror genre, featuring a variety of different horror sub-genres, including thriller horror- the closest genre relating to our final film opening. Therefore, we are highly likely to use Hammer as the institution for our opening.

Lionsgate

Lionsgate is a Canadian entertainment institution, formed in Vancouver, 2007. The most commercially successful independent film and TV distributor is Lionsgate, as they have produced and distributed over 200 films since they began. Again, the genre focuses on multiple genres of film, although they are considered as being more serious than that of the afore mentioned institutions, possibly being a suitable institution for our film opening.

Twisted pictures

Twisted Pictures is an independent American production company, founded in 2004. They are best known for their horror releases, such as the SAW series. This institution may be considered as one of the most suitable for our film opening, however it may also be too related to body horror- our film opening is possibly not ‘violent’ enough to suit the institution.

In addition to this, we thought it would be a good idea to add a frame which shows evidence of our own 'institution', clearly showing the audience that the film opening was created by us. It is simple, yet still allows the audience to see that the film opening is created by us.

WORK LOG- SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP

For elements for mise en scene, special effects makeup in addition to mask making and costume is helpful to input into the film opening as it helps give the audience an insight as to what the current situation of each character is as well as creating some sort of link to their personality.
In the case of our film opening, we have used various makeup types to show what has happened to certain characters after a time frame which we could not include due to both the technicality and length of the opening.

The opening features a girl who was a previous victim of the killers in the storyline, and is shown both in a missing poster and later on, dead in the place which the main victim wakes up in.
As she was a victim of killers who take skin from the face of their victims to create a mask, we had to show this in the makeup, so by using home made scar wax [see mask making for recipe] ,skin colourant, cosmetic makeup and fake blood I created the specific look we were aiming to portray on the face. Additionally, I applied makeup to areas such as under the eyes, around the lips, and on the eyebrow, to make Anna appear dead, and as though she had been attacked in some way before meeting her demise.

As I did not own any professional special effects makeup, I used the same mixture used when making the mask, adding more vaseline so that it met a more malleable consistency. I pressed it onto Anna's skin, and then used her own foundation to match her skin colour as accurately as possible. Then, using a basic eyeshadow palette, I added bruising, created a sunken in eye look, and made the lips pale so that she would appear dead on camera.

I then added a small amount of fake blood both inside the fake wound, and above the eyebrow as this would make the character look as though they had gone through some sort of physical trauma before their death.

Also, we needed to find a way of making the victim look beaten and bruised after she wakes up once she has been captured. For this, I used simple eyeshadow colours which when blended created a bruised appearance around the eyes, temples, and jaw- this creates the idea that the victim has been taken to the location she wakes up in in a brutal manner. As well as this, I have added a small cut over the eyebrow and on the lip, and have used fake blood to add to the beaten effect.

Here is a close up example of this:

BEFORE: 

AFTER:

WORK LOG- MASK MAKING

MASK MAKING

A substantial part of our coursework is of course the use of mise en scene, which includes costume and makeup. For our final character profiling we have decided to adhere to the codes and conventions of slasher horror villains and are giving our silent killer a mask which will hide their identity.
We have decided that our mask will be designed in a way which resembles patches of skin taken from different victims, sewn together to make the mask's base. However, instead of having a mask which will cover the entirety of the killers' faces, we have decided to make it so that it only covers approximately half of the face, as it will be the killer's work in progress- they are still 'harvesting' skin from victims, thus it will not yet be complete. This is also good for mise en scene as we are able to show parts of the killers' emotions- they will of course be pleased when they catch the victim in the film opening, therefore we will leave the mouth free of any form of cover so that a smirk etc is visible.

When thinking of how to make the mask, I brainstormed ways in which I could make it realistic looking. I came across several online tutorials regarding special effects skin making, however they all involved use of expensive equipment and products which was not ideal for us as we didn't want to have to limit ourselves to a budget.
I then did further research into young film making companies made up of mostly university students whom had little to no funds when making their films- by doing this, I found out that simple household items could be used to make faux skin...



The items I used to make the mask are as follows:

• A pre-made plain paper mache mask
• plain flour
• vaseline
• skin foundation
• flexible wire
• watercolour paints

Firstly, I mixed together the flour and vaseline to make a scar-wax like consistency- after experimenting with different amounts, I discovered that using one-part vaseline to two-parts flour gave the ideal consistency for the mask.

After this, I added some simple foundation makeup to give the mixture a skin tone- as it was very pigmented, I only needed to add about 1/4 of a teaspoon to give the wax the correct colour. As the mask is supposed to be made up of multiple victims' skin, each new batch of faux skin would be mixed with a different foundation colour, or another household item such as coffee, so the entire mask wasn't made up of the same skin tone.

Once all of the fake skin was made, I began to flatten it out into random shapes with untidy edges, seeing as they would be brutally removed by the killers. Then, I dampened the pre-made paper mache mask, and pressed the faux skin into the mask so it stuck to the surface. I gradually built the side of the face and nose up to make the shape of mask which we wanted for the killers, and once it was done I used watercolour paints on top to create a dirty, bloodied surface on the skin, as before, it looked too clean.

Once the main skin base of the mask was complete, I used flexible wire to make stitches between each patch of skin, so that it would resemble separate sewn patches, by cutting it into small pieces, bending it slightly, and pressing it into the edges of each skin section.

Finally, we cut around where the 'skin' was glued onto the mask, so it created the illusion of only covering a selected part of the face.

UPDATE: This is how our mask appeared on camera. It looked even better when filmed in the dark, as it was not completely clear thus creating a sense of the fear of the unknowing, yet the focus group we asked to watch our piece said still easy enough to tell that the mask was made out of victims' skin.

PROS AND CONS OF THE SLASHER SUB-GENRE

PROS AND CONS OF USING THE SLASHER SUB-GENRE

For our final coursework piece, we have decided to choose the Slasher sub genre as our main basis (with included elements of thriller horror). We picked this sub-genre to focus on as we felt that we are able to express lots of our knowledge of cinematography in general, and experiment with new techniques both in and post-production parts of making the film opening.

Of course, there are both advantages and disadvantages to this choice of sub-genre, and it is important to understand what they are before filming in order to be aware of what we need to put more focus on when filming and editing the opening.


Location

• The codes and conventions of slasher horror feature an extensive range of location; from an everyday well known location such as a school, to a darker and more eerie one such as a forest. For our final film opening, we have decided to use a basic home setting, a dimly lit street, and an urban-style overpass, which are very easy for us to use as it is close to home and it will not cost anything extra to either travel to or use, as they are public settings all within walking distance.
• The only problem we may face with location is mostly to do with the weather. We would ideally like to film in the evening, when everything is dark. It would be ideal for there to be quite miserable, post-rain weather, as this could count as pathetic fallacy- a common convention of the slasher genre. Of course, the weather is out of our control so we cannot decide what it will be like at the time of filming, therefore we can't guarantee a particular type of weather.

Mise en scene

• Mise en scene is a prevalent feature within the slasher sub-genre, as it can make the audience aware of both events which could happen in the future, as well as things like character traits and what type of situation they could end up in according to the codes and conventions of the genre. Luckily, our chosen characters will be very simple to present through mise en scene; alcohol bottles, pill packets and use of simple makeup and costume are simple things which can be included using objects from around the house.
• A problem we may face with props in mise en scene is use of weaponry when filming. The killers will have visible weaponry (handheld such as knives) which if not planned responsibly could result in members of the public wrongly assuming how we are using such items. Another problem which we could possible face is the realism of the makeup used in the film opening. If it doesn't look extremely realistic, the final piece will not look as professional as it should. To overcome this, we are going to ensure that a good amount of time is spent on planning and applying any makeup and special effects so that it looks as realistic as possible.

LOCATION SCOUTING

As a substantial part of our coursework research, we have gone location scouting in order to find the ideal settings for our film opening.

Firstly, we decided to use my (Imogen's) house as a starting point, with the idea that we would be able to create a powerful starting setting using mise en scene, which we could accomplish through decoration and props when we film. Our main character in the film opening will be the first victim, and so will match codes and conventions of a non-conservative victim the slasher genre by being a drug user. To make the audience aware of this, we will decorate the living room in order to make it look like some sort of drug user's 'den'. As one of the small rooms in the house is in the process of being decorated, the wallpaper is partially torn, the curtains have been removed, and the room is mostly taken up by a simple bed and mattress, we think that this will act as a good setting well suited to this character, as the room looks rather neglected and mistreated. 

Next, we went outside and took photos of a nearby road; it was dimly lit by street lamps, which would be ideal for us, as we would be filming in the evening when it is dark, as this is a common convention of slasher and thriller horror. This long road is curved, which will provide the audience with the fear of the unknown, and is surrounded by the woods, giving it a hidden appearance which will be seen as eerie to the audience.

As the road was surrounded by the woods, we decided to take photos of parts of the woods seeing as it is a dark and secluded area, which is what we ideally would like to base our film opening around. The only disadvantage of using the woods would be both lighting, as we will be filming at night so it may look too artificial, as well as the fact that we would have liked a more urban setting; something less 'cliche' than the woodland.

Once we had left the woods, we found a nearby pedestrian overpass which crossed over a road. This gave us an ideal setting point as it is both secluded and of an urban 'style', and for us was the most ideal place for the victim to be stalked and eventually captured, as there are many columns which can be used as 'hiding places' for the killers, and the two staircases can present the vulnerability of the victim as she becomes trapped between the two killers who have used both entrances.

Additionally, we wanted a location for the killer to reside in and plan his murders, etc. For this we wanted a location which we could easily make appear eerie and mysterious as well as being an interior location which is nearby and easily accessible. For this, we have decided to use the photography dark room in school, as this is easily accessible and we already have permission to use it as we are both art students. We liked the dark room in particular as it has red lighting which created an eerie, dark effect.

Luckily, all of these settings are in close proximity to one another and are also within walking distance of my house- this is a big advantage to us as we do not have to spend any money to travel to and and also to use these settings as they are all public zones, free of charge to enter.

FINAL IDEAS- Film opening

We have decided to have our film opening fall into the horror category, more specifically the sub genre of slasher/thriller genre of film. We have drawn inspiration from horror films and thrillers alike.

Narrative/plot
It begins with our female character waking up bound and gagged in a dirty ditch, she realises where she is she begins to try and recall The opening is about a girl who's on her way to meet her friends to do drugs and other illicit activities . As she is about to leave her house she hears on the radio/television that people have been going missing. She walks down the dimly lit road and as she walks takes no notice of the missing posters with peoples faces on them. The audience get a view of her walking down the street from behind the bushes/ trees(from one of the killer's point of view). The audience follows her journey as she walks under a bridge and as she's walking an out of focus figure emerges from behind a column. She walks up the stairs and onto the bridge. The girl sees a masked figure at the other end of the bridge, we see the look of caution in a close up of her face. The masked figure starts to walk towards her, she turns around in an attempt to flee however she is greeted with another masked figure. They both begin to walk towards her she screams in a series of fast paced case up quick cuts. The screen fades to black.

Bonus footage(optional). She finally remembers how she got there, however footsteps can be heard and as she looks up she see boots coming down the steps and the last shot is of her weeping crying face as she screams.


Characters
We looked at various iconic slasher villains and came up with killers that we feel are a combination of multiple; We're having two killers as we see this as a bigger threat and makes the victim more hopeless as there is no way she can escape her fate, films such as 'Scream' have two killers and towards the end of the film he see Sydney feeling more scared and hopeless when she realised that the murderers are Billy and Stu. In terms of the physicality of our killers, we're having them tall but not necessarily big built or muscly- as we wanted a more human and real character not a supernatural monster of a man like Jason Vorhees or Michael Myers. However where we did take inspiration from these characters is their masks, we wanted masked killers because we believe it creates a scarier effect, when you can't see the face/eyes of the person drawing the knife on you or approaching you in the dark. Another idea we have for the mask is based off of Leather face from "Texas chainsaw massacre" which is made of his victims skin, an idea so sickening that we believe it will be terrifying. In addition to the fact the killers remain voiceless, just like Jason and Michael. The killers are also partly based off of the design of the killers from the film 'The purge-anarchy', in that apart from the masks they're wearing everyday clothing like hoodies and jeans. Our protagonist is a young girl who is on her way to do drugs with her friends and other debauchery. Of course being at the start of the horror film and doing these activities, by horror conventions, means something bad must happen to her. In fact in the movie 'Scream', Randy states that one of the rules to surviving a horror film is that you can drink or do drugs. We're not making her the final girl, more like Drew Barrymore's character, Casey, in the same film, she flirts with the killer on the phone despite having a boyfriend is killed off in the films opening.

Setting
We looked at a variety of settings from different films e.g. the woods, cabin in the woods, abandoned warehouse, domestic settings like the house etc. We came to decision to set it in multiple locations. Firstly in the domestic setting of a house, but to create the appropriate atmosphere in which our female character would live, we are going to have white dirty sheets up all over the room with not many items; a few cigarettes, a needle and some alcohol and a few other times that would generally be seen in a house such as lamps and a tv to show she isn't so far removed from social conventions.

The next setting is the dark street, the street is dimly lit and at night giving an eerie and ominous atmosphere, the sides of the street are trees and bushes which removes the local familiar setting of a road filled with houses. This leads onto the bridge/overpass which only has one exit and entrance which isolates our female character. 

The last location is a dirty ditch in which our female character will be tied up and gagged. This will give the sense of entrapment.