Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Audience Research - Online Survey
I created an online survey to gather answers to different questions as this form of customer research allows different styles of answers than a paper questionnaire. It also reaches a wider audience, as it is available to fill in online where anyone can do it.
Again most of the people who answered the questionnaire were in the 17-18 bracket which limits the research as there is only really one age groups opinions. However, more 14-15 year olds answered the online survey, which does offer us more range in the target demographic who we know the opinions of.
Most of the people who filled in the survey online were female, which counteracts the fact slightly more males filled in our questionnaire, and overall we have the opinions of both genders.
The majority of the people who answered do watch horror films which is useful, however some don't and therefore wouldn't fit our target audience. Their opinions may be useful anyway as we can figure out what scares people whether they watch horror films or not.
This question has complicated answers. The analysis shows the overall results regarding where they were positioned overall out of everyone's answers. This comes out as people liking films based around families and romantic subplots. However, when you look at which answer was rated the most popular the most often, it is supernatural elements. None of these things feature heavily in our film, so we may have to bring out the 'love' element with the stalker further to add that element to it.
This question revealed that our target audience like supernatural films and psychological thrillers, and our film could fit into the psychological thriller genre as it is filled with plot twists and mystery. It fits into the teen horror genre much better however, and this was the third most popular answer.
Most of the people who filled in the online survey watch horror films once a month, and then yearly. This shows our target audience do not regularly watch horror films and that we are not appealing to die-hard horror fans.
Most people answered yes to this question and this is something we were planning on including, so this is positive for us and means our idea would be appealing to our target audience.
The Woman in Black is the most popular film according to this question, and the least popular The Exorcist. This could reflect our target audiences age and the fact they do not religiously watch horror films, as the most popular ones are generally the more modern films.
Most people agreed blood and gore is what scares them most in a film and this is something we can try and incorporate into our trailer by focusing on the torture part of the film.
Nearly everyone agreed that plot twists are something they look for in horror films which is good as our proposed film trailer is filled with them.
Friday, 25 September 2015
Advertising Company
My media company will be called Enigma Productions. This is fitting for the fact they advertise horror film as Enigma is mysterious and sounds very ominous however it is still professional sounding. It will be an advertising company which production companies can hire to create the advertising campaign for their film. It will predominately feature mainstream horror films made on a low budget, and will advertise domestic films which are classified as British.
Thursday, 24 September 2015
Copyright
The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 covers all designers or creators rights to control how their material is used, regardless of whether it is literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, sounds or films. It is an automatic right when work is created as long as it is original and shows a degree of labour, skill or judgement. The work may not necessarily belong to the person who created it, for example if the person who created it did it for their employer they will be the 'first owner of copyright'. Copyright can be sold or go in someone else's name if there is a previous contractual agreement. The duration of the copyright varies for different types of media, but for films it is stated to be:
'70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the last principal director, author or composer dies. If the work is of unknown authorship: 70 years from end of the calendar year of creation, or if made available to the public in that time, 70 years from the end of the year the film was first made available.'
It is against the law to copy the work, lend copies to the public, show the work in public or adapt the work without permission. To avoid breaking these laws I will use only my own material, and if I need to use music I will check the copyright laws regarding it.
'70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the last principal director, author or composer dies. If the work is of unknown authorship: 70 years from end of the calendar year of creation, or if made available to the public in that time, 70 years from the end of the year the film was first made available.'
It is against the law to copy the work, lend copies to the public, show the work in public or adapt the work without permission. To avoid breaking these laws I will use only my own material, and if I need to use music I will check the copyright laws regarding it.
Censorship and Regulation
Censorship: the suppression of speech, public communication or other information which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, politically incorrect or inconvenient as determined by governments, media outlets, authorities or other groups or institutions.
Regulation: a rule or directive made and maintained by an authority.
Regulations change throughout time as societies views on what is appropriate change. This is clear in the film 'The Wild One' which was banned from Britain for promoting 'hooliganism' at a time where Britain featured a rigid social structure. It was banned for fourteen years, but is now rated a PG. This shows the changing times in Britain and the changing views of the public.
Censorship is also used when scenes are darkened or shots changed to remove content which is deemed inappropriate. This is seen in 'Women in Love' where the censor decided a full length shot is used with two naked man, who had feelings for each other, and were naked. This was deemed inappropriate for the time (1969) but because it was considered a 'brilliant film' they suggested the scene was darkened so the nudity was not as clear. The director obliged and the film was released.
The Woman in Black is a unique example of censorship and classification. It cut out six seconds of the footage, and darkened particular scenes, in order to qualify for its 12A rating however is commonly believed to be rated too low. It received 134 complaints, which was the most for the last four years except Black Swan which received a 15 classification despite its graphic sex scenes and self harm scenes. With The Woman in Black the issue was found with the loss of a child and supernatural themes. The BBFC argued that this complaint was due to a lack of understanding in the classification system and what each rating actually means. They have however began looking into the effect of gore and violence on children, the sexualisation of women and language all of which they believe need tightened up on.
I don't believe my film will require any censorship as I have rated it a 15 and it does not have anything that would be considered any stronger than this. If I had attempted to have the film rated a 12 the scenes featuring violence may need to have been cut and the use of weapons reconsidered.
Regulation: a rule or directive made and maintained by an authority.
Regulations change throughout time as societies views on what is appropriate change. This is clear in the film 'The Wild One' which was banned from Britain for promoting 'hooliganism' at a time where Britain featured a rigid social structure. It was banned for fourteen years, but is now rated a PG. This shows the changing times in Britain and the changing views of the public.
Censorship is also used when scenes are darkened or shots changed to remove content which is deemed inappropriate. This is seen in 'Women in Love' where the censor decided a full length shot is used with two naked man, who had feelings for each other, and were naked. This was deemed inappropriate for the time (1969) but because it was considered a 'brilliant film' they suggested the scene was darkened so the nudity was not as clear. The director obliged and the film was released.
The Woman in Black is a unique example of censorship and classification. It cut out six seconds of the footage, and darkened particular scenes, in order to qualify for its 12A rating however is commonly believed to be rated too low. It received 134 complaints, which was the most for the last four years except Black Swan which received a 15 classification despite its graphic sex scenes and self harm scenes. With The Woman in Black the issue was found with the loss of a child and supernatural themes. The BBFC argued that this complaint was due to a lack of understanding in the classification system and what each rating actually means. They have however began looking into the effect of gore and violence on children, the sexualisation of women and language all of which they believe need tightened up on.
I don't believe my film will require any censorship as I have rated it a 15 and it does not have anything that would be considered any stronger than this. If I had attempted to have the film rated a 12 the scenes featuring violence may need to have been cut and the use of weapons reconsidered.
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Legal Requirements of Film Making
When filming many things have to be taken into consideration as there are laws in place about the requirements which need to be met in order to film in certain locations or to distribute certain footage. When filming I need to consider:
-Laws regarding filming others
Generally if you can see someone's face on camera you need their permission which can be an issue if your are filming in the street:
'by virtue of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998 everybody has a right to a respect for their private and family life, their home and their correspondence.'
This reveals that people have the right to privacy and therefore it is up to the director whether the footage is a breech of this right or not. If so the footage can be cut, or the person censored out of it. This rule is much more strict for people in the public eye or for children, so for my film this should not be too much of an issue.
'the Data Protection Act 1998 applies to any person or company “processing” anything within the definition of “personal data”. The Court has confirmed that storing, developing and printing photographs amounts to “processing” so by extension recording and exploiting video footage is also likely to be caught within the definition.'
This issue can be solved by getting peoples permission if they are on the camera, or by putting up signs saying filming is taking place so to avoid the area if there is a problem with them being on camera. It can also be avoided if the person is not identifiable in the image they appear in.
Defamation is also a problem when film making as you must be careful to not create any false meaning in the footage when editing. This could offend people who are within the film and create the wrong impression of individuals. To avoid this I should take care that I am not manipulating the image at all and that I have not filmed anywhere which could be considered a sensitive or private area.
-Laws regarding the locations I film at
'Buildings are protected by copyright under English law but there is a specific exception under section 62 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 which permits you to take a photograph or film of a building without infringing its copyright. This means that you do not require the permission of the owners of the copyright in a building to make a film or take a photograph of it.'
This shows that I am able to film the outside of buildings generally without permission, although I do not believe any of me settings require me to do this. If I wanted to reproduce a 3D copy of a building, I need the owners permission but again I do not believe this is necessary for the locations in my own film.
You are also allowed to 'create graphic work' based on a building which means if you film a public building you are allowed to edit the footage and create a graphic work. This again is not relevant to my film but when it comes to shooting my ideas may change.
Private land rules still apply however, even if the building itself if public you cannot position yourself on private land as this would be breaking the law. To avoid this some research may need to go into the locations at which I plan on filming at to ensure I am allowed to go everywhere I plan to. If somewhere I need to go is classified as private then I would need to either rethink my locations or ask the owner for permission, and in doing so they are entitled to give me conditions and things I can and cannot do with the footage.
I also need to consider branding and trademarks which may appear in my film, and this is important as I do plan on filming in a cinema or a shopping centre, which will feature brand names. I may need to gain their permission if their logo is in the footage which I include in my product. I also need to consider what certain buildings represent and how this may affect copyright laws and also how the footage comes across in my final product. Light displays and signs can also be copyrighted so this is again something which could be relevant if I am filming in a shopping centre particularly. To avoid this I may need to consider the shot types which I use and whether the inclusion of any brands or signs could be avoided.
-Insurance
In order to film in public you need proof of Public Liability Insurance and the price of this varies depending on the size of the productions, the locations and the photography involved, but generally will be around £2 million. This can be done through companies such as Towergate Underwriting Entertainment in London.
-Minimum wage regulations
The National Minimum Wage act is the least amount of money people can be paid an hour to work for you. This does not apply for people who are gaining work experience, who are charity volunteers, who are business undertaking or who are private volunteers. This mean to us the minimum wage act does not apply as our cast will be made up of volunteers.
-Statutory obligations
There are a lot of statutory obligations that come with filming however most of them do not apply to my film due to the nature of it and the locations which I am choosing to use. If there is any filming outside, cabling may be an issue and the area needs to be safe for everyone, however the main obligations come in with the use of weapons within the film. Weapons will only be used in private locations so permission from the council is not necessary, but we must have permission from the building owner and the actors involved in the scenes. We will have to complete a health and safety assessment of each location to ensure that everyone is kept safe during filming.
-Child performance licenses
The child performance licenses apply to anyone in compulsory school age, which all our actors are as you have to be in school until you are eighteen. It requires notice of 21 days and it requires documentation from both the producer and the child's guardian. The child must then be supervised by the guardian during their time our of school. This however will be avoided as we are not going to take people out of school and will instead film in our free time, which they will not need permission for.
-Laws regarding filming others
Generally if you can see someone's face on camera you need their permission which can be an issue if your are filming in the street:
'by virtue of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998 everybody has a right to a respect for their private and family life, their home and their correspondence.'
This reveals that people have the right to privacy and therefore it is up to the director whether the footage is a breech of this right or not. If so the footage can be cut, or the person censored out of it. This rule is much more strict for people in the public eye or for children, so for my film this should not be too much of an issue.
'the Data Protection Act 1998 applies to any person or company “processing” anything within the definition of “personal data”. The Court has confirmed that storing, developing and printing photographs amounts to “processing” so by extension recording and exploiting video footage is also likely to be caught within the definition.'
This issue can be solved by getting peoples permission if they are on the camera, or by putting up signs saying filming is taking place so to avoid the area if there is a problem with them being on camera. It can also be avoided if the person is not identifiable in the image they appear in.
Defamation is also a problem when film making as you must be careful to not create any false meaning in the footage when editing. This could offend people who are within the film and create the wrong impression of individuals. To avoid this I should take care that I am not manipulating the image at all and that I have not filmed anywhere which could be considered a sensitive or private area.
-Laws regarding the locations I film at
'Buildings are protected by copyright under English law but there is a specific exception under section 62 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 which permits you to take a photograph or film of a building without infringing its copyright. This means that you do not require the permission of the owners of the copyright in a building to make a film or take a photograph of it.'
This shows that I am able to film the outside of buildings generally without permission, although I do not believe any of me settings require me to do this. If I wanted to reproduce a 3D copy of a building, I need the owners permission but again I do not believe this is necessary for the locations in my own film.
You are also allowed to 'create graphic work' based on a building which means if you film a public building you are allowed to edit the footage and create a graphic work. This again is not relevant to my film but when it comes to shooting my ideas may change.
Private land rules still apply however, even if the building itself if public you cannot position yourself on private land as this would be breaking the law. To avoid this some research may need to go into the locations at which I plan on filming at to ensure I am allowed to go everywhere I plan to. If somewhere I need to go is classified as private then I would need to either rethink my locations or ask the owner for permission, and in doing so they are entitled to give me conditions and things I can and cannot do with the footage.
I also need to consider branding and trademarks which may appear in my film, and this is important as I do plan on filming in a cinema or a shopping centre, which will feature brand names. I may need to gain their permission if their logo is in the footage which I include in my product. I also need to consider what certain buildings represent and how this may affect copyright laws and also how the footage comes across in my final product. Light displays and signs can also be copyrighted so this is again something which could be relevant if I am filming in a shopping centre particularly. To avoid this I may need to consider the shot types which I use and whether the inclusion of any brands or signs could be avoided.
-Insurance
In order to film in public you need proof of Public Liability Insurance and the price of this varies depending on the size of the productions, the locations and the photography involved, but generally will be around £2 million. This can be done through companies such as Towergate Underwriting Entertainment in London.
-Minimum wage regulations
The National Minimum Wage act is the least amount of money people can be paid an hour to work for you. This does not apply for people who are gaining work experience, who are charity volunteers, who are business undertaking or who are private volunteers. This mean to us the minimum wage act does not apply as our cast will be made up of volunteers.
-Statutory obligations
There are a lot of statutory obligations that come with filming however most of them do not apply to my film due to the nature of it and the locations which I am choosing to use. If there is any filming outside, cabling may be an issue and the area needs to be safe for everyone, however the main obligations come in with the use of weapons within the film. Weapons will only be used in private locations so permission from the council is not necessary, but we must have permission from the building owner and the actors involved in the scenes. We will have to complete a health and safety assessment of each location to ensure that everyone is kept safe during filming.
-Child performance licenses
The child performance licenses apply to anyone in compulsory school age, which all our actors are as you have to be in school until you are eighteen. It requires notice of 21 days and it requires documentation from both the producer and the child's guardian. The child must then be supervised by the guardian during their time our of school. This however will be avoided as we are not going to take people out of school and will instead film in our free time, which they will not need permission for.
BBFC and Age Classification
When classifying a film, the BBFC take different factors into consideration. These factors are:
U
Universal films are suitable for all audiences aged four or over and should feature a generally positive outlook with any violence or threat counterbalanced.
-No discrimination (possibly if it is highly disapproved of)
-Infrequent references to drugs if any
-No anti social behaviour (unless disapproved of) and no weapons
-Infrequent mild bad language
-No sexual content but kissing allowed
-Nudity allowed with no sexual connotations
-Threatening scenes should be mild and brief
-Mild violence
PG
Parental guidance means it is generally okay for everyone but some young children may be unsettled
-No discrimination unless disapproved of or has an educational/historical context
-Illegal drug use must have a anti drug message
-No detailed dangerous behaviour that children may copy
-Mild bad language
-Sexual content may be implied however must be infrequent
-No nudity with sexual content
-Frightening scenes should not be long or intense
-Violence must be mild but could be moderate should there be contextual justification
12A/12
Similar content however a 12A cannot be seen by anyone under 12 not accompanied by an adult
-Discrimination cannot be endorsed
-Misuse of drugs infrequent and not glamorised
-No dangerous behaviour which could be easily copied
-Sexual content of nudity must be quick and discrete
-Moderate sexual references are allowed and sexual activity may be portrayed quickly however no crude behaviour
-Moderate physical and psychological threat but not overall disturbing tone - horror sequences must not be too long
-Moderate violence but not too detailed
15
No one under 15 can watch or buy a film with this classification
-Discrimination cannot be endorsed but may be used as a theme
-Drug use can be shown but should not encourage drug use - easily accessible drugs may not be permitted such as solvents
-Dangerous behaviour can be shown but should not be focused on and it will depend upon the realism of the situation
-Strong language is permitted but context should be considered
-Nudity can be shown in a sexual way but generally not too detailed
-Strong verbal references to sexual behaviour can be used but sexual activity should be at a minimum
-Strong horror allowed but sadistic behaviour may need reconsidered
-Violence can be strong but the focus should not be on the infliction of pain
18
Only adults can see films with an 18 rating
-Adults are free to choose their entertainment so any film can fit this category as long as it is not in breech of the law, the material cannot harm others or if the sexual nature of the film breaks the BBFC guidelines
I think my film is likely to be rated a 15. While it doesn't endorse discrimination, drug use and it doesn't include any sexual scenes, the actual horror side of it probably pushes it out of the 12 bracket. The majority of the film will be a horror sequence and the 12 classification specifies threat cannot be shown over a long period in that category, while in the 15 it can be shown as long it is not considered sadistic. There is also the suicide and weapon use element which is restricted much more strictly in the classifications below 15, and this is something which is featured in the film, weapons being used throughout and the conclusion is a suicide.
- Context - public expectations taken into consideration
- Theme - which age the theme is suitable for and how this theme is dealt with within the film
- Tone and impact - the overall feel of the film impacts the classification and how the audience will react towards the film
- Drugs - films which glamorise the use of drugs will be rated higher than those which reveal the dangers of them while legal drugs can be shown in any rated film but will be highlighted before to warn parents
- Discrimination - any discrimination within films will push the classification up however the context will also effect this, and if it is behaviour which is criticised the classification may be lower
- Imitable behaviour - glamorisation of violence, weapons, criminal behaviour, suicide or anything that young people may copy will be taken into consideration
- Language - the effect of this varies hugely due to the context the word is used in and what sort of bad language it is (eg swearing or racist language vary hugely)
- Nudity - acceptable in a non sexual way in all classifications but a U
- Sex - ranges hugely but anything explicit will generally be an automatic 18, however kissing is acceptable in all age classifications, although can be a concern in the junior categories
- Threat - the length of the scene will be considered as well as the impact the music and sound has, as well as the outcome (horror films specifically take into consideration the supernatural elements and the realism of the scene, and how unsettling the overall product is)
- Violence - can be found in almost all the classifications but it will be driven up if the hero is inflicting pain, someone finds pleasure in the pain, the violence is glamorised, is it encourages aggression, unnecessary violence towards victims or if violence is portrayed as the normal solution to problems - films which feature sexual or sadistic violence in a positive or graphic way can be refused to be classified
- Educational purposes (if a video will be used in school the context and educational value will be taken into consideration)
- Photo sensitivity/motion sickness/reactions to low frequency sounds (warning must be given to viewers who may suffer from these conditions)
U
Universal films are suitable for all audiences aged four or over and should feature a generally positive outlook with any violence or threat counterbalanced.
-No discrimination (possibly if it is highly disapproved of)
-Infrequent references to drugs if any
-No anti social behaviour (unless disapproved of) and no weapons
-Infrequent mild bad language
-No sexual content but kissing allowed
-Nudity allowed with no sexual connotations
-Threatening scenes should be mild and brief
-Mild violence
PG
Parental guidance means it is generally okay for everyone but some young children may be unsettled
-No discrimination unless disapproved of or has an educational/historical context
-Illegal drug use must have a anti drug message
-No detailed dangerous behaviour that children may copy
-Mild bad language
-Sexual content may be implied however must be infrequent
-No nudity with sexual content
-Frightening scenes should not be long or intense
-Violence must be mild but could be moderate should there be contextual justification
12A/12
Similar content however a 12A cannot be seen by anyone under 12 not accompanied by an adult
-Discrimination cannot be endorsed
-Misuse of drugs infrequent and not glamorised
-No dangerous behaviour which could be easily copied
-Sexual content of nudity must be quick and discrete
-Moderate sexual references are allowed and sexual activity may be portrayed quickly however no crude behaviour
-Moderate physical and psychological threat but not overall disturbing tone - horror sequences must not be too long
-Moderate violence but not too detailed
15
No one under 15 can watch or buy a film with this classification
-Discrimination cannot be endorsed but may be used as a theme
-Drug use can be shown but should not encourage drug use - easily accessible drugs may not be permitted such as solvents
-Dangerous behaviour can be shown but should not be focused on and it will depend upon the realism of the situation
-Strong language is permitted but context should be considered
-Nudity can be shown in a sexual way but generally not too detailed
-Strong verbal references to sexual behaviour can be used but sexual activity should be at a minimum
-Strong horror allowed but sadistic behaviour may need reconsidered
-Violence can be strong but the focus should not be on the infliction of pain
18
Only adults can see films with an 18 rating
-Adults are free to choose their entertainment so any film can fit this category as long as it is not in breech of the law, the material cannot harm others or if the sexual nature of the film breaks the BBFC guidelines
I think my film is likely to be rated a 15. While it doesn't endorse discrimination, drug use and it doesn't include any sexual scenes, the actual horror side of it probably pushes it out of the 12 bracket. The majority of the film will be a horror sequence and the 12 classification specifies threat cannot be shown over a long period in that category, while in the 15 it can be shown as long it is not considered sadistic. There is also the suicide and weapon use element which is restricted much more strictly in the classifications below 15, and this is something which is featured in the film, weapons being used throughout and the conclusion is a suicide.
Tuesday, 22 September 2015
Audience Research - Questionnaires
I have created questionnaires which I have handed out and received 19 responses from. The questionnaire featured both general questions about horror films and once specific to the product I am looking to create, such as the one about plot twists and the gender of the antagonist.
Most of the people I asked using the face to face questionnaire were male, so when looking at my feedback I should keep this in mind as the majority answer on each question may have changed depending on which gender was asked.
I asked people who were in my target audience to fill in the questionnaire, so most of the people were 17. This is a very large majority so again this could impact the results I gathered. Our target audience is likely to be from the age of 15, so this is not the most effective market research as it doesn't show the younger people in my demographics opinions.
We asked people how often they watched horror films and most people said monthly. This shows most people in my target audience are not hardcore horror fans, but rather watch them occasionally maybe when a new one comes out or when they're with their friends. Less than quarter said they never watched them or only watched them yearly, which shows our target audience are generally fans of horror and do watch them, so we are aiming it at the right market.
Most people said they prefer high budget films, which obviously we cannot do. However, this does give an insight into what people look for in horror films - they want it to be high quality with expensive tricks and stunts which add either gore or supernatural elements to the film.
Nearly everyone we asked, except two, said they believe footage which appears to have been shot by a character is effective in a film and this is good as this is what we were planning to do.
This question was open and therefore received a lot of different responses. Surprisingly, a lot of people said similar answers, with over quarter saying jump scares were the thing which they feared most in horror films. After this, the supernatural and the unknown were the most commonly said answers, with the rest having one person saying it.
Everyone agreed that plot twists are exciting in a film except one, and therefore the idea we are going with will be appreciated by the majority of our target audience and we will not have to change our plan.
Our film is likely to be classified as a teen horror, which was the second most popular answer. The first was psychological horror, and this is something we may have to try and fit into our film somehow. One person said thriller and no one said supernatural, which is surprising however does not impact our trailer as we are avoiding these genres.
Over three quarters of the people we asked said they liked plot twists which is good because this is in our plan as a key element of our film. This shows our target audience will be engaged in the film and will not be disappointed if the plot is unpredictable.
Our film is going to feature a female villain and a male villain, however the female villain will be the surprise within the film. We wanted to make sure that this will be unexpected, but also that the target audience would not be completely put off by this. The results were more people like a male antagonist, which we will have, but the difference was not drastic and therefore out idea can remain the same.
For questions 5 and 7 we asked for reasons why they felt that way which obviously varied and could not be included in charts. The reasons stated on the questionnaires are below.
5. Do you think that home footage featured in horror films is effective? Please state why.
-It gets annoying if the film is too long
-Doesn't show other points of view'
-Most classic films use found footage
-Makes it scarier and empathises point
-Captures footage as if the audience is there
-Creates suspense
-Realistic
-Mystery within the film
-Can look unprofessional
-Audience feels more involved
-Audience gets more attached to the characters
-See characters point of view
-First person perspective makes audience feel involved
-Scene needs to be set well
7. Do you find plot twists exciting and thrilling in horror films? Please state why.
-Breaks pattern of horrors being predictable
-Makes you reevaluate what you have watched
-Keeps the film exciting
-Changes the whole course of the film
-Keeps audience engaged in the plot
-Not entirely necessary as a good plot can stand by itself
-Unexpected element adds more thrill and mystery
-Cannot guess what will happen next - exciting
-Makes the film more original and memorable
Monday, 21 September 2015
Why is Horror Appealing
People watch horror for different reasons including:
-To feel fear but not be in danger
-Adrenaline
-Feeling of accomplishment
-Interest in the supernatural
I have looked at an article called 'The Psychologist' and it outlined these reasons for watching horror:
-To feel fear but not be in danger
-Adrenaline
-Feeling of accomplishment
-Interest in the supernatural
I have looked at an article called 'The Psychologist' and it outlined these reasons for watching horror:
-it
allows us to rehearse possible threatening scenarios from a position of
relative safety
-successful
horror fiction is usually realistic in its portrayals of human psychology and
relationships.
-the
pleasure comes from the relief that follows once characters escape danger
-‘Frequent
depictions of women in prolonged states of terror may reinforce traditional
gender schemas of women as helpless and, as a result, may serve to normalise
aggression or hostile attitudes toward women,’ Walsh and Brantford said.
In our horror film we will be going against the typical horror film convention as the female is in fact the person to be feared, not the man, which will add a twist to our film.
Patterson (an assistant professor of English and co-director of Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation Studies at Saint Joseph’s University) says horror builds on real life fears, and this changes as events in the world occur. For example, post 9/11 films featured torture, as a way to cope with the tragedy and zombie films may become popular after a break out of influenza which could potentially harm whole populations.
-high sensation seekers enjoy horror as it heightens emotions, even negative ones, and this gives them a rush of excitement
-men want to appear more masculine and brave
Patterson (an assistant professor of English and co-director of Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation Studies at Saint Joseph’s University) says horror builds on real life fears, and this changes as events in the world occur. For example, post 9/11 films featured torture, as a way to cope with the tragedy and zombie films may become popular after a break out of influenza which could potentially harm whole populations.
-high sensation seekers enjoy horror as it heightens emotions, even negative ones, and this gives them a rush of excitement
-men want to appear more masculine and brave
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