What is a code?
Codes are elements that can be decoded by the audience to provide meaning. They can be divided mostly into two seperate groups of codes; technical codes and symbolic codes.
Technical codes include the 'technical' aspects of creating a piece of moving image media. Some examples of technical codes are things such as camera shots, angles and movements, editing, sound, titles and lighting.
Symbolic codes include the main elements of mise-en-scene within a film. Mise-en-scene is a french term which stands for 'put in the scene'. Examples of elements this may include are things such as costume, make up, setting and props. If in a film we were to see a girl in a short dress with red lipstick on this would lead the audience to make an assumption about her. This is due to the symbolic value that comes with these items.
What is a convention?
A convention is very similar to a norm in the sense that it is what the expected rules are. In film, a convention is what the audience expect in a specific genre. For example, in a horror film we expect to see conventions such as the victim being stuck in a remote location (no help), a mobile phone running out of battery or having no signal when a call is about/needed to be made and quite often a young, vunerable female being the victim. There are many more examples of horror films conventions that could be used.
Planning: Broadmoor Films - Horror Film Pitch
Creating a 60 second pitch for any film is important as it allows you and external parties to look at your plot and see what's good, what's bad, what can be kept and what need's to be changed. When you give your pitch you need to give a clear idea of what will happen in the film without giving any important information away that will spoil the ending. Our film company, Broadmoor Films, came up with this pitch to present our idea for our horror film.
Formal Assessment: Essay
Analyse the codes and conventions of horror films as shown in 'Dead Wood', 'Dead Mary' and 'Wrong Turn'.
We are making a 2 minute horror film opening in this current project and for our research we have looked at three existing film openings; they are 'Dead Wood', 'Dead Mary' and 'Wrong Turn'. We took notes on the films, looking in particular to the conventions, symbolic codes and technical codes. Conventions are like a set of unwritten rules that you are expected to follow when making a film of a specific genre, in this case, horror. A symbolic code in also known as Mise-en-scene which basically means, the staging. This is things like costumes, location, props and so on. A technical code is the camera work, sounds and title etc.
In the three openings, the conventions were all very similar and all very obvious. The main convention in all three is the use of a secluded area. The reason horror film makers use this is to show the audience that the characters are on their own and have no help when something bad happens. In Wrong Turn, it is emphasised by the man shouting down to the lady, "Y'know we're 50 miles from anybody, who're you screaming for?" which is a clever technique used by the film company to give a clear message to the audience. In Dead Mary, the couple have run out of petrol on a long, dusty, empty road surrounded by woodland. This location is not only far away from civilisation but is also hard to get to due to the woodland so straight away we can see that if they are in trouble, they will get no help. The final film, Dead Wood is set inside a woodland where a couple are camping. This is very similar to the previous two, where they are in a secluded area which is hard to access and is a large distance from other people who could help. Another obvious convention within all three film openings is the vulnerable young girl that is left alone either during the opening or after it. In Dead Wood and Wrong Turn, the young girl is left by themselves after their male friend has been killed or died. The difference between these two and the girl in Dead Mary is that they are killed off, and in this circumstance she is left alone in the car while her male partner goes to fetch some petrol. Although nothing happens to her, the director has done this to give the impression that something is going to happen to this defenceless girl during the 3 minute opening. Other conventions that we see are the radio not picking up any stations, the mobile phone having no signal, characters failing to reach their destination right at the last minutes and the saviour character being killed.
The symbolic codes throughout the three films aren't as close as the conventions. By this, I mean that they are all slightly different. For example, when we look at the clothing of the characters in Dead Wood, the male is wearing a very vibrant, Hawaiian shirt and a pair of chino trousers. This is a way for the director to send a message to the audience that this character is very confident and in some ways quite brave. The girl is wearing a more 'normal' kind of outfit, with a long skirt and hooded jacket. In my own opinion I think that this is to symbolise that the girl is quite shy because of the lack of flesh that she is showing. In Dead Mary it is quit a different story, the girl is wearing a very skimpy top and shorts, showing an awful lot of flesh to the viewers which is another way of showing vulnerability by giving off the image that she is very exposed. The Girl in Wrong Turn is also being shown using that technique. Although she is wearing climbing gear, she has opted for a climbing outfit that shows off a lot of flesh which goes back the idea of exposure. The props in all three of the openings are very minimal and aren't focussed on a lot. In Wrong Turn, they only props that are used are the van which she nearly gets to before she is dragged away and the rock climbing equipment that they use to complete their adventure. In Dead Wood, the only prop that is used is the tent. This tent is obviously there for camping but shows the lack of protection that the girl has now that the boy has died. In Dead Mary there are a few more props that have meaning such as the mobile phone and the radio which support the convention of a secluded location. The flare gun is also focussed on a lot which is probably because it will make a return in the film later on when they need it. The other props that are used are the car, the CD and the petrol cans. The main symbolic code used in all three films, like the main convention that runs through all three films is the the location which are all secluded and surrounded in woodland. To recap, the reason that it's secluded and surrounded my forest is to emphasise the inability to easily escape or to be heard and saved by the outside world. The make-up is most prominent in Dead Wood, where the man, Rich, has blood and mud on his face when he is running through the woods. The reason they have chosen to put this on him even though we haven't seen what happened to him or what he's running from is to give the audience a sense of mystery and unease. In the other films, there is no make up used on the characters to give a scary effect, however there is fake blood used in Wrong Turn when the man's body is being hung over the cliff edge and his 'blood' is dripped on to the woman's face.
The technical codes throughout the film openings are all very similar but then differ throughout. By this, I mean that throughout a single opening the technical codes are different depending on the situation at the current moment, but as a collective group of film openings, the technical codes are quite similar. The main difference between Dead Mary and the other two films is the frequency of camera angles and shots. In Dead Mary, there are a lot more close-ups and extreme close-ups on the girl and other objects such as the mobile phone and the radio. Although the majority of shots are close-ups, there are a few shots from further away, for example there is an establishing shot from the car wheel and also a crane shot about half way through. In Dead Wood and Wrong Turn, the shots are more from a distance and with only a few close ups after the action has happened and the male characters have died, and when this happens the camera cuts get more fast paced and the shot get closer to show emotion and to add tension. A big thing that I picked up on in Dead Wood was that when Rich was running through the woods, there was some hand-held camera work to show the point of view of the character and incidentally, this is what the shot is called, a point-of-view shot.
The sound that is used in all films is split into two categories;
- Diegetic Sound
- Non-diegetic Sound
The non-diegetic sound is the music that is put into the film after the filming has taken place. This is shown in Dead Wood firstly at the title screen where it is quite calm but also eerie at the same time. As the film intensifies, the music then starts to pick up pace. As he runs through the forest and gets past more obstacles the music picks up in pace and gets more creepy and more dark. In Wrong Turn, the music follows exactly the same idea, it starts off calm yet eerie and with every event that takes place it gets more dark and more sinister. The sound in Dead Mary is slightly different as there is no music throughout the opening but there is a mechanical-like noise that runs through and get increasingly more noticeable as the mood turns more scary and jumpy. The diegetic sound in Dead Mary is similar to the other two openings unlike the non-diegetic sound. In Dead Mary, the diegetic sound is the sound of the environment, so trees and bushes, along with the radio failing to work, the impatient heavy breathing and dialogue. In the other two it is the same apart from there is no radio and the heavy breathing is from struggle and determination and not impatience. The use of no music during the acting can be just as effecting as some scary or spooky music but they both must be used correctly. In these cases I would say that they are used correctly to give a sense of fear and tension.
Over-all, the films all follow some of the conventions and common codes although they don't always use the same ones. I think that the codes and conventions they do use have been chosen carefully and well to give a clear hint or even a blindingly obvious image of fear and horror.
Getting Into Groups
For this task I have made a production company called Broadmoor Films along with:
- Jack Gardner - Click Here
- Liam Wood - Click Here
Research: Horror Films
Horror is a film genre that is based around attacking the emotion of fear that was talked about in the previous post and is targeting a negative emotional reaction from the viewer. They often use scenes that startle a viewer, the supernatural and also a frequent theme to draw in the audience. The horror films may actually overlap with other genres of film such as fantasy, thriller or even action. Horror films can often deal with a viewers nightmares, hidden fears and terror of the unknown. Films within the genre often involve the introduction of an evil force, event or personage. Elements include:
- Ghosts: The Shining (1980)
- Aliens: The Thing (1982)
- Vampires: Dracula (1931)
- Werewolves or vicious animals: The Wolfman (1941)
- Demons: The Exorcist (1973)
- Monsters or Zombies: Frankenstein (1931)
- Serial Killers and/or cannibalism: Manhunter (1986)
Horror films have attracted people since the beginning of the cinema industry. It has been said that horror serves the same purpose to adults as fairy tales do to children, for instance to warn of evil in familiar places. As stated above, the purpose of a horror film is to draw a negative reaction from the view and that is exactly what they do; surveys show that everyone has been affected in this way at least once by an image or clip from a horror film. The appeal of horror film to people depend on the people themselves and what characteristics they have, the film itself and the viewing circumstances. I will give more detail on these below.
- The Viewer And The Film: Researchers have found many motives for wanting to watch horror films, including the need for excitement, the desire to feel intense emotions and the distraction from everyday concerns. Although there are other types of films that can fulfill some of these needs, for example Drama, movies that display violence and fear at the same time have effects that a drama cannot like the violation of social norms. Also, people don't often view horror films alone. They particularly appeal to men as it is a common talking point between a group, a means of self-presentation and a source of shared experience. Not everyone will like the blood and gore but many will continue to watch because of other goals such as showing their ability to tolerate it or the desire to master the threatening images. The three main appeals of horror films to males are the excitement generated by the film aka sensation-seeking, the wish to see destruction that is shown in horror movies and the satisfying resolution usually found at the end of the film.
- The Circumstances: Horror films are typically viewed in comfortable, familiar surroundings with friends or co-viewers nearby. Violent entertainment is proven to be less appealing when the viewer is under genuine threat or experiences fear/anxiety prior to viewing, alone. When humor accompanies the film with in a social group of mates, the reaction of fear is milder. Viewers can limit the effects also, by turning away or talking to a friend, even making mockery of the film to make the viewing of it less passionate. When violence gets too real to the viewer, the film will lose appeal so if music and film editing are made minimal or removed it can have a bigger impact on fear and a lesser appeal to the film.
As most of my fears are for real-life situations as opposed to a specific thing it is hard to find a film specifically related to one of my fears. That being said, I still get affected by a horror film in the way it intends to do so when I have negative release of emotions and a build up of anxiety. If I was to state my favourite horror film I would have to say Slither (2006). It's not a traditional film like the Frankenstein films or Dracula films but I like the quirkiness of the plot. The General plot of the film is that a meteorite collides in a small town. Grant finds it and is infected by a parasite worm which installs in his brain and causes him to have a creepy transformation into a monster. His wife, Starla, and a policeman, Bill, will try to stop him and the worms from infecting the rest of the town. Although it is a horror film, it is not that powerful in it's attempt to force me into a release of emotions in a negative way. You could say that this film is not great as a piece of horror because of this reason however I like it for the story itself as opposed to it's ability as a piece of horror. Does a horror film have to be incredibly scary to be labelled good? I say no.
Research: Fear
Fear is an emotion that is induced by a threat which causes entities, something that exits by itself, to quickly pull away from it and usually hide too. It's described as a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to stimuli such as pain or the threat of danger. In other words, fear is an ability to recognize danger leading to the urge to confront or flee it, also known as the fight or flight response or in extreme cases of fear there's a horror or terror response, a freeze or paralysis response. Some psychologists have suggested that there are a small set of innate emotions and fear falls into this category. Other emotions in this category are joy, sadness, panic, anxiety, acute stress and anger etc.
Fear should be distinguished from anxiety because fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance whereas anxiety is the result of threats which are seen to be unavoidable or uncontrollable. Fear almost always relates to future events such as worsening or continuation of a situation. Fear can also be an instant reaction to something presently happening. All people have an instinctual response to potential danger which is important to survival of every species. Fear can be a manipulating and controlling factor in an individuals life.
Common Fears And How They Affect Me
According to surveys, some of the most common fears are of demons, evil powers, insects, spiders, snakes, heights, water & drowning, small spaces, bridges, social rejection, failure and public speaking. Here is some information on a few other fear that have been proved to be the most common.
- Death: A lot of psychologists have been interested in the fear of death and how it can impact on the life of a person. One of the most interesting theories that they have studied is how the fear of death can influence religious commitments. Top psychologists have stated that those who are most firm to their faith and attend regular religious practices are the ones who are least afraid of dying. Another survey showed that church-centered religiousness and spiritual seeking are distinct ways of tackling fear with death and old age. Shelly Kagan says that the conditions needed for fear to occur are that the requires something bad to happen and there must be a non negligible chance of the bad things to happen in the mind of the person with the fear. This means that death is a very common fear because everybody has a non negligible chance of dying; it happens to everybody at one point. I would say this is one of my biggest fears because I don't know when it will happen to me.
- Heights: A fear of heights is also known as Acrophobia and it belongs in a group called specific phobias. Most people experience a slight degree of natural fear when exposed to a height especially if there is no protection, however some people people can be quite confident in these situations. Sufferers of a fear of heights can experience a panic attack in a high place and become too agitated to get themselves down safely. It can be triggered when looking down from a height or by looking straight up at a height.I personally have a fear of heights and I think at it is of the thought of falling from the height. It is a possibility that the actual fear is of death and the fear of heights it a knock on effect from this phobia. My fear has probably developed through me getting older and having more challenges or opportunities to experience heights and I have not learnt to deal with each step and it has gradually got worse and worse.
- Public Speaking: The fear of public speaking is official called Glossophobia, and can also be called speech anxiety. This is just one branch of a collected group of fears called social anxiety disorder. The symptoms of a fear of public speaking are;
-Intense anxiety prior to or at the thought of having to verbally communicate with any group,
-Avoidance of events which focus the group's attention on an individual,
-Physical distress, nausea or feelings of panic in such circumstances.
I think that my fear of public speaking has come from a want to not be embarrassed. Public speaking is an intimidating thing and if you make a mistake it can have long and hard consequences. It has developed over time from getting older and being expected to make presentations to a class or stand in an assembly. Although I would try to avoid public speaking I can not get out of it sometimes so at times my fear can be improved by practice.
Below is my class work. We had to write down 2-3 of our fears and explain how they came into existence within our lives and how they have developed in time. Rebecca used the green pen, Jack used the blue pen, Jake used purple and I used the orange pen. I have magnified my work and in case my writing can not be read well, I have written what it says.
 |
"Anything that could kill me. The concept of death isn't the worst part of
knowing we all die, it's not knowing how you will die. This is what scares me. This fear has developed by me getting older, and realizing that there are hazards everywhere."
"Heights. The idea of being at a level where if you fall you will probably
die scares me. This has developed as I've got older and you can go to greater heights" |
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